Bangladesh withdrew 41 NGOs from Rohingya camps for ‘malpractices’

The authorities withdrew 41 non-government organisations from their operations at Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar due to their “involvement in malpractices”.

These are among 139 NGOs that have been operating in the camps since the Rohingya crisis started, according to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.

“They were withdrawn because of their wrongdoings,” he said at an event in Sylhet on Saturday.

“Many other NGOs are doing the same now. We are monitoring them. They will also face action if we find any evidence [of wrongdoing],” he said.

The NGO Affairs Bureau last Thursday suspended six projects of an NGO, Mukti Cox’s Bazar, for allegedly making sharp weapons for Rohingya refugees.

It had earlier halted operations of six NGOs working for the refugees. These are Islamic Relief, Islamic Aid, Muslim Aid, Small Kindness Bangladesh, Bangladesh Chashi Kalyan Samity, and Nomijan Asthabi Foundation.

The government has been accusing different NGOs working for the Rohingya Muslims of being involved in suspicious activities for quite some time.

Ministers, including Momen, have pointed finger at the NGO activities in the Rohingya camps.

On Aug 22, the parliamentary standing committee on the foreign ministry recommended identification of the NGOs that were allegedly impeding the repatriation as a second bid to start the process halted due to the refugees’ refusal to go back.

More than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled the Rakhine State into Bangladesh after Myanmar launched a military-led crackdown dubbed “ethnic cleansing” in response to militant attacks on security posts.