The World Bank has pledged to continue supporting Bangladesh in improving the welfare of vulnerable Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox’s Bazar, with a focus on disaster resilience, education, and social services.

Jean Pesme, World Bank Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, made the commitment during the inauguration of a Multi-Purpose Community Service Center at Rohingya Camp 2W in Ukhiya on Thursday. The facility was established under the Emergency Multi-Sector Rohingya Crisis Response Project (EMCRP).

“This is my first visit to the Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps as Division Director. I am very happy to see that this project benefits both Rohingya and the host community. The disaster shelters are being used not only as safe havens during emergencies but also for education and social services. This is very encouraging. The World Bank will continue to work alongside Bangladesh for the welfare of these vulnerable communities,” Pesme said at the ceremony.

The event was attended by senior government officials, including Javed Karim, Additional Chief Engineer at the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and Project Director of EMCRP; Obaydullah, Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC); Md. Abdus Salam, Deputy Project Director EMCRP-LGED; and Swarna Kazi, Task Team Leader at the World Bank. The program was presided over by Md. Fokrul Islam, Camp-in-Charge and Executive Magistrate.

Highlighting the origins of the EMCRP, Javed Karim recalled the 2018 visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and then-World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, who had voiced deep concern for the plight of Rohingya refugees. He said the project was launched in response to address disaster risks and improve basic services in both the camps and surrounding areas.

“The project aims to reduce disaster risks, ensure safe water and sanitation, improve access to education, strengthen systems against gender-based violence, and protect the environment,” Karim said.

He outlined key achievements of the initiative to date, including the construction of 15 cyclone shelters, 16 multipurpose community service centers inside camps, nine satellite fire stations, over 4,000 solar streetlights, more than 1,000 nano-grid power facilities, and 67 lightning arrestors. Awareness campaigns have also been carried out under the project’s motto: “The service facilities for me; I use those with care.”

Additional RRRC Obaydullah described the new center as the only permanent multipurpose structure inside the Rohingya camps, serving as both a disaster shelter and a hub for education, health, and social programs. He stressed the importance of community ownership to ensure its proper use and maintenance.

The center was warmly welcomed by the Rohingya community. A parent attending the ceremony expressed gratitude, saying the facility had transformed his daughter’s learning environment from a cramped thatched room to a clean and spacious classroom with water and sanitation facilities. “During cyclones, we will also find shelter here. We are very thankful to the Government of Bangladesh and hope for more such centers, as we are many,” he added.

Implemented by LGED in partnership with the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR), and the Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP), with World Bank financing, the EMCRP continues to demonstrate how coordinated government and development efforts can build resilience, dignity, and hope for both displaced and host populations.

BOB  Post