Bangladesh will receive support from the World Bank to meet the needs of Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar.
Both parties will determine the extent of the support and what portion will come in loans and what portion will come in grants through discussions, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said after a meeting with top World Bank officials at the organisation’s headquarters in Washington on Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com.
The finance minister is currently in the US to attend the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings. He met World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva and Vice President at the World Bank for the South Asia Region Annette Dixon in Washington on the first day of the programme.
World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva has expressed her appreciation to Bangladesh for the humanitarian assistance it has provided to the refugees.
“Top World Bank officials praised Bangladesh for giving refuge to the helpless Rohingyas,” said Muhith. “They too want to stand with us and help the Rohingyas.”
“We have decided to accept their help. Both sides will meet to discuss the extent of the support, what amount will be in loans, what amount in grants, or whether all of it will be in grants.”
A World Bank delegation will travel to Bangladesh ‘soon’ to monitor the current refugee situation, discuss it with the Bangladesh government and determine the level of support to be provided, he said.
“The World Bank-affiliated International Development Association, or IDA, has created a new fund called the ‘Refugee Fund’, which will go to support refugees across the world,” the finance minister said.
A total of $2 billion is allocated to the fund. Any country in need of the assistance can apply for a maximum of $400 million in loans over a three-year term.
“How much Bangladesh will receive from this fund and its conditions will be decided quickly,” Muhith said.
World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva told bdnews24.com that she respected and praised Bangladesh for opening its borders to the Rohingyas.
We will do all we can to help Bangladesh, she said.
“We have a refugee window that would be glad to help Bangladesh.”
“We will also take steps to ensure no one is deprived of our support and that locals and Rohingyas can coexist peacefully. We also express our boundless gratitude for what Bangladesh has done for humanity.”
The six-day annual meeting between the IMF and the World Bank is to end Oct 16.
A high-level delegation from Bangladesh, led by Finance Minister AMA Muhith, has gone to Washington to attend the meeting.
