By: Camp Correspondent
Cox’s Bazar, July 15, 2025 — Two senior advisors to the Government of Bangladesh visited the Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhia upazila on Monday, expressing concern over shrinking international support and increasing security challenges in the settlements that now shelter nearly one million forcibly displaced Rohingya.
Farooq-e-Azam, Advisor to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, and Lt. General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs, toured several sites in the camps during their afternoon visit. The officials climbed the observation tower for a direct view of the camp layout and held discussions with camp authorities and stakeholders on current conditions and the future of camp management.
Speaking to journalists after the inspection, Advisor Farooq-e-Azam emphasized the importance of continued global support. “Bangladesh has provided shelter to the Rohingyas, but the international community has a responsibility that cannot be ignored. If the flow of aid diminishes, it will trigger a deeper crisis,” he said.
He added, “This is not a burden that Bangladesh should carry alone. The world must act together. Ignoring this would be inhumane. The government continues to present the ground reality to the global community.”
Regarding the security situation, the advisor acknowledged that law and order within the camps has become a growing concern. He stated that the government will soon adopt new plans to strengthen camp security and stabilize internal management.
Home Affairs Advisor Lt. Gen. Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury also addressed the press, pointing out the deteriorating infrastructure meant to safeguard the camps. “The barbed wire fences constructed for camp security have been damaged. We will decide how to restore and reinforce them to ensure better security for all,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the two advisors participated in official meetings in Cox’s Bazar before heading to the camps.
Their visit comes at a time when humanitarian agencies are sounding the alarm over declining international funding. The Joint Response Plan for 2025 remains significantly underfunded, threatening critical services such as food assistance, education, and healthcare for both Rohingya refugees and host communities.
While Bangladesh’s continued sheltering of the Rohingya population has drawn international recognition, the protracted nature of the crisis—along with stalled repatriation and deteriorating camp conditions—has created a sense of fatigue among donor states. Yet for the nearly one million Rohingya refugees confined within the barbed-wire perimeters of these camps, life remains precarious and uncertain.
Community members have consistently called for not only sustained humanitarian aid, but also stronger protection mechanisms, greater mobility, and meaningful involvement in decision-making processes that shape their futures.
As international attention drifts and funding dries up, the Rohingya in Bangladesh face the dual threat of increased insecurity and humanitarian breakdown, all while remaining in limbo—stateless, voiceless, and far from any solution that ensures justice and safe return.
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