Staff Correspondent

The World Bank has greenlit two projects, allocating $700 million on Wednesday, aimed at bolstering basic services and fortifying disaster and social resilience for both local communities and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. With nearly one million Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar since 2017, it marks one of the globe's most significant forced displacement emergencies.

Abdoulaye Seck, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, said, “We greatly appreciate the Government of Bangladesh’s generosity in supporting nearly one million Rohingya people. We also recognize the enormous pressure placed on the host communities.”

He said with the crisis entering its seventh year, long-term planning and sustainable solutions have become critical, while also addressing short-term, urgent needs.

We are fully committed to supporting the Government of Bangladesh to address this complex crisis and support the wellbeing of both the Rohingya and host communities, he added.

The projects include the $350 million "Inclusive Services and Opportunities for Host Community and Displaced Rohingya Population Project" and the $350 million "Host and Rohingya Enhancement of Lives Project. These initiatives aim to address both short-term needs and long-term challenges of the crisis, prioritizing human capital development and livelihood support.

S. Amer Ahmed, World Bank Task Team Leader for the ISO Project, said the protracted displacement crisis that the Government of Bangladesh is addressing is ultimately a challenge about supporting people, whether they are in the host community or in the displaced Rohingya population.

Ahmed mentioned, “The ISO Project will be supporting vulnerable households in both communities to invest, protect, and use their human capital through support for temporary work, training, education, child protection, primary healthcare, nutrition, family planning, and gender-based violence response and prevention services.”

The projects focus on essential services like health, nutrition, family planning, and gender-based violence prevention, with a particular emphasis on education for Rohingya children. Moreover, they aim to enhance access to water, sanitation, and hygiene, along with infrastructure resilience against disasters and climate change.

Around 70 percent of the displaced Rohingya people in Bangladesh are women and children, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to address their specific vulnerabilities. The initiatives also draw from previous World Bank support and global experiences in handling forced displacement crises.

The World Bank's commitment to Bangladesh dates back to its independence, with over $40 billion invested in grants and interest-free credits. This recent allocation further underscores the organization's dedication to supporting vulnerable populations and fostering sustainable development worldwide.