Rohingyas want dignity, identity

Visiting World Bank Vice President for South Asia Region Hartwig Schafer yesterday said Rohingyas, living in Cox's Bazar camps want an identity and dignity.

"What I've seen over the day is human tragedy," Schafer, who visited Rohingya camps on Monday and Tuesday, said in a video message from Kutupalong camp, the largest refugee camp in the world.

He said Bangladesh opened its borders to the Rohingyas who came here with nothing, and fled homes across the border.

"They want dignity. They want an identity. They're enormously resilient. They've started small businesses," he said in the message.

Schafer said Rohingyas want to send their children to school to get education, and want to make sure they get good healthcare. "I would hope there's a brighter future for those people," he remarked.

The WB vice president thanked the people of Bangladesh and the government for sheltering Rohingyas.

He said the World Bank has made over $480 million available to support Bangladesh to help them with the cost of serving these people.

Despite its own challenges, Bangladesh has shown great generosity by sheltering nearly one million Rohingyas, Schafer said in an earlier message.

"The World Bank is working closely with the government to help address the needs of the Rohingya until their safe return to Myanmar and help build the country's capacity to deal with the crisis."

It has approved the first two operations, totalling about $75 million in grants, to provide health services and education to Rohingya refugees, many of whom are children, youths or women.

"Bangladesh has a remarkable story of cutting extreme poverty to half in record time. Other countries can learn from Bangladesh's many development innovations and successes. I look forward to meeting our partners and seeing firsthand the country's journey to economic growth," said Schafer.