Staff Correspondent
Recently, Together with members of the JCIAD (Japanese Commerce and Industry Association in Dhaka),
Mr. TAKAHASHI Naoki, Minister, DCM (Deputy Chief of Mission) of the Embassy of Japan to Bangladesh,
visited the Rohingya facilities in Bhasan Char from November 9 to 12, where over 35,000 Rohingya
Refugees reside.
Through a visit program arranged by the WFP, the delegation had exchanges of views with the Camp-in-
Charge from the Government of Bangladesh, the Navy, as well as UN agencies. They visited an e-voucher
outlet, a fresh food market, the Integrated Health and Nutrition Facility, the NGO Production Center,
waste management and recycling facilities. They attended a handover ceremony at a school run by
UNICEF Integrated Education Program and WFP School Feeding Program, where the JCIAD donated
school supplies.
Since the large influx of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh in August 2017, Japan has contributed over
220 million USD to various interventions in Cox's Bazar as well as in Bhasan Char through international
organizations and NGOs, providing assistance such as food, healthcare, WASH, shelter, protection, and
gender mainstreaming.
Witnessing ongoing activities in the field, Minister TAKAHASHI said, "With our visit this time, Japan has
become the first country to dispatch a delegation composed jointly of business people and government
officials to Bhasan Char. The visit program arranged by WFP offered a meaningful opportunity for us to
deepen our understanding of the situation on the ground and the various challenges that Rohingya
refugees are facing here. I hope that Japanese assistance will continue to contribute to improving the
humanitarian situation in Bhasan Char ”.
More than seven years have already passed since the onset of the Rohingya refugee crisis in August
2017. It is essential to keep raising awareness of the international community. Japan will continue to
work toward the resolution of the Rohingya humanitarian crisis.
Japanese Minister TAKAHASHI visits Bhasan Char
