Staff Reporter :
World Bank (WB) Group President Jim Yong Kim on Tuesday said, Bangladesh needs more support from the global community to help survive one million Rohingya refugees, driven by the Myanmar government.
He gave the call before wrapping up his two-day visit to Bangladesh with the United Nations Secretary General.
On Monday, President Jim Yong Kim visited the Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar along with UN Secretary General António Guterres.
“I saw firsthand the sheer scale of the crisis. I spoke with women and men who have been facing extreme hardships, and yet they stand resolute – waiting for a chance to return to their village. The Government of Bangladesh has done a great job by keeping its borders open and supporting the refugees. But much more needs to be done as monsoon rains continue with risks of natural disasters and outbreaks of diseases. The international community must be active,” said Jim Young Kim.
He and Guterres interacted with Rohingya women and men and visited the transit camps, health centers, and women-friendly spaces. In Cox’s Bazar, the Rohingya people are twice of the local population, which is putting pressure on infrastructure and services.
“The World Bank will help Bangladesh sustain its impressive development progress while managing the dire situation created by this large influx. We have mobilized $480 million grant-based support, which will help build country capacity to deal with the crisis,” he said.
Jim Young Kim met the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the Finance Minister, the Foreign Minister and other senior government officials. While commending Bangladesh for its generosity in providing a refuge for the Rohingya people, he emphasized the World Bank’s commitment to help the host community and the refugees.
As he concluded the visit, he said: “Bangladesh has an inspiring development story: it has emerged as a global leader in reducing poverty and creating opportunities for all. The World Bank considers Bangladesh an important partner in reducing global poverty. We are firm on our commitment to enhance support to help Bangladesh achieve its vision of an upper-middle income status.”
