At a press conference titled “Sovereignty must be upheld in Cox’s Bazar; participation of local government and people in Rohingya relief activities is essential,” organized by the Cox’s Bazar CSO–NGO Forum (https://cxb-cso-ngo.org/), local elected representatives and local NGOs demanded the formation of a Rohingya Repatriation Commission to accelerate repatriation.

The press conference was moderated by CCNF Co-Chair Rezaul Karim Chowdhury. He stated that border security must be strengthened in the interest of Bangladesh’s national security and that further Rohingya entry into Bangladesh must be stopped. Alongside BGB, the presence of the Army at the border should be ensured, and Bangladesh should work to strengthen its military capacity. He urged continued discussion and diplomatic pressure on the Rohingya issue and repatriation in the ASEAN forum, and called for dialogue with the Arakan Army. He also urged Members of Parliament (MP) from Cox’s Bazar to raise Rohingya and national security concerns in Parliament.

Speakers at the press conference alleged that UNHCR and several UN agencies are excluding local NGOs from their partnership and partnering with international organizations such as Action Aid, TdH, and ACTED. They argued that these international organizations should raise fund from their countries of origin, and strongly opposed the current partnership approach of UN agencies.

Zahangir Alam, Member Secretary of CCNF, said that UNHCR, through BRAC and Infinix, has recently begun constructing permanent-structure shelters for Rohingya in the camps without consulting local government or political leadership. He said this has created negative sentiment among local residents. He also stated that materials used in construction, such as plastic tarpaulin, are not environmentally friendly. He claimed there is no global precedent for building such permanent infrastructure for refugees and warned that this may encourage further influx. He urged that such decisions be discussed with local government and the public.

Md. Helal Uddin, a CCNF member, said that UNOCHA recently allocated USD 150 million in humanitarian assistance for Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar, of which 92% went to UN agencies and 8% to international organizations. He noted that under their localization commitments, 25% of funds should go directly to local NGOs. He called for legislation to ensure UN agencies cannot implement projects without partnering with local NGOs. He also demanded that the JRP be opened up for local NGOs, as it is largely dominated by UN and international NGOs.

Md. Shahinur Islam, Assistant Director-Humanitarian Response of COAST Foundation, said that BRAC has been managing a Pooled Fund for the development of local NGOs, but among the fund receiver only 22% are local NGOs and 78% are national NGOs. He urged that this Pooled Fund should be managed by local NGOs consortium. He questioned the effectiveness of the Pooled Fund, noting that despite capacity-building initiatives, any of the local NGOs do not take any responsibility any of sector/cluster. He also expressed concern that many senior executives and Chief Executive Officers in INGOs and UN agencies in Cox’s Bazar are citizens of a particular country, which he believes raises national security concerns and may influence delays in repatriation. He urged that such key positions be filled by Bangladeshi, particularly people from Cox’s Bazar.

Md. Ilias Mia, CEO of CEHRDF and an environmental activist, said that approximately 8,000 acres of forest land were destroyed to establish Rohingya camps, causing severe environmental damage in Cox’s Bazar. He warned of falling groundwater levels and emphasized stopping groundwater extraction, proposing instead treated water from the Naf River and pond excavation.

Tanjir Uddin Roni, Assistant Director of COAST Foundation, emphasized the need to ensure representation of local government and community members in Rohingya crisis management. He noted that the Rohingya Coordination Team (RCT) exists but lacks local government representation, meaning local interests are not adequately reflected in decision-making. He called for inclusion of MPs and local representatives in this structure. He also demanded a transparent and accountable Rohingya Repatriation Commission to report publicly on repatriation progress.

Engineer Robiul Hasan, Central Special Representative of Combine Human Rights World, said that through NGO Sushilan, WFP is providing supplier opportunities to Rohingya in the camps, which he considers concerning as it may economically empower them and will discourage repatriation. He called for proper oversight of such activities. Engineer Helal Uddin, UP Member of Rajapalong Ward 9, said that waste from the camps has rendered 300 acres of local farmland uncultivable and is lowering groundwater levels. He warned that the full impact may be realized in the coming decade, but these concerns are being ignored.

In the Question-and-answer session, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury responded that there is no visible progress on Rohingya repatriation. Local stakeholders are not informed about discussions or decisions, and no clear roadmap is visible. He alleged that border security in Ukhia and Teknaf is weak, BGB is not sufficiently strengthened, and Rohingya continue to enter in Bangladesh. He recalled that in 2014, a press conference highlighted the need to strengthen security in Cox’s Bazar, increase Army presence, and enhance capacity, but no national security policy or plan has been adopted. He also questioned whether the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken any action following last September’s Rohingya conference in Geneva initiated by Dr. Yunus.

Communication: Zahangir Alam: 01713328827, Md. Shahinur Islam: 01713367434 and Mostafa Kamal Akanda: 017111455591

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