HIGH operation cost of International Non-Government Organizations (INGOs) at the Rohingya camps of Cox’s Bazar eat up the large chunk of donations which are usually collected for the refugees. Even the operational cost of most INGOs is five times higher than the programme requirement. Perhaps, the persecuted people have opened a window of lavish jobs and facilities to many foreigners, while long-term action plan over the refugees’ daily needs, employability, rehabilitation, housing, water and sanitation, health and education are absent. A robust diplomatic effort to repatriate the Myanmar citizens is absent and their long-term stay is almost obvious.
A recent study stated that around 3,000 registered and non-registered foreigners are working under INGOs in Cox’s Bazar. More or less, every foreign aid worker receives approximate Tk 25 thousand as daily allowance, excluding their regular salary, which is collectively taka two crore daily. This is also five times higher than the operational cost of the local NGOs. Most INGOs are poorly staffed but receive hefty amount donation for developing Rohingya’s lifestyle as donations spent almost 80 percent for operations and rest for the programme.
Beginning from January of this year, donors received some USD $682 million, equivalent to some $3,284 per Rohingya family, while 75 percent projects of INGOs or UN agencies are being implemented through local or national NGOs.
To reduce operational costs, the INGOs have committed to the Charter 4 Change (C4C) — an initiative that aims to transform the way the humanitarian system operates to enable national actors to play an increased and more prominent role in humanitarian response – to implement changes to the way the humanitarian systems operate to enable more locally-led response. Besides, the UN agencies and INGOs are continuously trying out ways to reduce transaction cost by working through local NGOs and local government agencies. But absent of monitoring of the INGOs and the lack of transparency fail to effectively redress the plight of Rohingyas.
We must say, the authorities should form an independent commission right now to coordinate, monitor and evaluate programme and expenditure of the INGOs for the betterment of the Rohingyas. Only repatriation is the sustainable solution for the Rohingya refugees. Government should not give anyone any scope to play game with the situation.
