Dhaka: Civil society groups on Monday demanded a clear roadmap for Rohingya repatriation and greater localisation in the humanitarian response, alleging that local NGOs receive less than 1 percent of Joint Response Plan (JRP) funds. The demands came at a press conference jointly organised by the Cox’s Bazar CSO NGO Forum (CCNF) and the Equity Justice Working Group (EquityBD) at the National Press Club in Dhaka.
According to United News of Bangladesh, CCNF Coordinator Md Shahinur Islam criticised the JRP process, describing it as a UN-dominated fundraising mechanism. He stated that UN agencies control around $811 million, or 87 percent, of the total JRP 2025 fund, while international NGOs receive 8.97 percent and national NGOs 4.19 percent. Local NGOs, he claimed, are allocated only 0.06 percent of the total budget. He also mentioned that the Government of Bangladesh is making significant financial contributions to the Rohingya response, including taking bank loans, but such contributions are not reflected in the JRP framework. Shahinur demanded that at least 25 percent of JRP funds be implemented through local NGOs and communities and called for transparency regarding fund distribution among different actors.
EquityBD Coordinator Mostafa Kamal Akand urged the government to take responsibility for Rohingya repatriation and demanded the formation of a Rohingya Repatriation Commission. He also called for an international conference during the upcoming UN General Assembly session to ensure justice for the Rohingyas and prepare a clear roadmap for their safe repatriation.
Another EquityBD Coordinator, Md Iqbal Uddin, highlighted that the humanitarian response has caused environmental degradation in Cox’s Bazar, including damage to agricultural land and groundwater resources. He alleged that criminal activities have increased in the camps and stressed the need to preserve groundwater by supplying treated water from the Naf River to the camps.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, chief moderator of CCNF and EquityBD, criticised UNHCR for implementing projects through international organisations instead of local NGOs and for constructing permanent shelters without approval from the government and the Forest Department. He also urged the government to ensure that all UN activities receive prior approval to protect national interests and said affected local communities should be included in consultations on the Rohingya crisis. The press conference was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury and attended by EquityBD coordinators Mostafa Kamal Akand and Md Iqbal Uddin, among others.