UNHCR assistant high commissioner visits refugee camps

UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, George Okoth-Obbo, arrived in Bangladesh for a five-day visit. He will observe and assess the UN agency's ongoing emergency response to the Rohingya refugees and preparations ahead of the monsoon season.

Upon arrival on Sunday, the UNHRC official met with key government officials in Dhaka who are involved in the Rohingya response, including Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Md. Shah Kamal, and discussed about the ongoing situation.

He expressed his gratitude to the government and the people of Bangladesh for hosting close to 880,000 refugees, and reiterated UNHCR's commitment to continue supporting and working closely with the government on all aspects, particularly to avert harm due to the monsoon.

The Assistant High Commissioner, who arrived in Cox's Bazar on Monday, is visiting the Kutupalong refugee site in Ukhia, and reviewing UNHCR's work on the ground.

It is estimated that 200,000 Rohingyas could be at risk because of landslides and/or flooding, and UNHCR and its partners have been working to try to mitigate the risks inside the settlements, as well as relocating families who would potentially lose their homes to safer areas. Okoth-Obbo will also visit Camp 4 extension where additional land was recently allocated by the Bangladesh government to help relocate families most at risk of landslides when the monsoon arrives. 

Extensive work to prepare the hilly land was part of a joint initiative by UNHCR, IOM and WFP under the inter-agency Site Management Engineering Project (SMEP). UNHCR and partners are currently installing shelters and services on an initial 12 acres of newly-prepared land that could provide homes for nearly 500 families.

Okoth-Obbo will also be visiting other refugee settlements in Nayapara and Chakmarkul before he returns to Dhaka for the final commitments of his mission.