Rohingya Repatriation: WB clarifies its position

The World Bank  addressed its position on the Rohingya issue on its website yesterday.

In a question-and-answer format, the World Bank spoke of Rohingya repatriation, its Refugee Policy Review and other issues.

Recently, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that the World Bank sent a letter attaching a document that spoke of Rohingyas' freedom of movement, birth certificates, privileges of education and job, and infrastructure.

Although the document was not Bangladesh-specific, the government informed the World Bank that it would not agree to those suggestions, the foreign minister had said.

The questions and answers posted on the World Bank's website yesterday are as follow:

What is the World Bank's position on the repatriation of the displaced Rohingya population?

The World Bank is helping Bangladesh address the needs of the displaced Rohingya population until their safe and voluntary return to Myanmar. The World Bank is also supporting Bangladesh to minimise the impact of the influx on the host communities.

How much has the World Bank committed to support Bangladesh to address the challenges created by the influx of the displaced Rohingya population?

The World Bank has committed $590 million for Bangladesh to address the health, informal education, safety net, water and sanitation, and basic infrastructure, including climate resilient roads, solar street lights, and disaster preparedness needs of both the displaced Rohingya and host communities in Cox's Bazar.

The World Bank's research and analysis are also providing insights for understanding the challenges and development priorities in Cox's Bazar.

Is this support a loan or a grant?

The entire $590 million financing is on grant terms. This is not a credit.

What is the purpose of the Refugee Policy Review?

The Refugee Policy Review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the World Bank financing for the refugee and host communities.

This review has been done in each of the 14 World Bank member countries that are currently hosting displaced population. 

How was the Refugee Policy Review done?

The review was done by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) following the Refugee Policy Review Framework. UNHCR collected baseline information on the existing policies, practices, and programmes.

Does the Refugee Policy Review make specific recommendations to Bangladesh regarding the Rohingya population?

No, the review does not make any country-specific recommendations.