Local NGOs call for greater role in Rohingya response
Civil society organisations and community leaders have called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to place greater emphasis on the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, while expressing concern over the exclusion of local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from the implementation framework of the 2026 Joint Response Plan (JRP).
Speaking at a press conference organised by the Cox’s Bazar CSO NGO Forum (CCNF) at the Cox’s Bazar Press Club on Wednesday, stakeholders said the exclusion of local NGOs from JRP implementation contradicted global localisation commitments under the Grand Bargain, of which UNHCR is a signatory.
The press conference, titled “UNHCR Must Prioritise Local NGOs in Partnership; 5% Allocation for Host Communities in the JRP Falls Short of Localisation Commitments,” brought together representatives from local NGOs, community organisations, local government bodies and civil society groups.
CCNF Chief Moderator M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, who moderated the event, reiterated the need for the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees and urged camp residents to work together for peace, security and well-being. He also called on the government and UN agencies to address groundwater depletion in the region by supplying treated water from the Naf River.
Speakers criticised what they described as the limited participation of local organisations during the launch of the JRP 2026, noting that a proposed speech by a local NGO representative was omitted while international NGOs were given a platform to speak on behalf of local stakeholders.
Anjuman Ara of Protrisuty expressed concern that the JRP 2026 had not been shared with stakeholders in advance, unlike previous years, and urged the inclusion of local NGOs and local government representatives in both planning and implementation.
COAST Foundation representative Md. Iqbal Uddin proposed a “JRP 2.0” framework centred on a clear roadmap for Rohingya repatriation. His colleague Md. Shahinur Islam alleged that the current funding structure did not reflect localisation commitments, claiming that the overwhelming majority of humanitarian funding was channelled through UN agencies and international NGOs, leaving local organisations with limited access to resources.
Taharima Afroze Tumpa questioned the practice of international representatives speaking on behalf of local stakeholders at major humanitarian events, stressing the need for direct local representation.
Several speakers also raised concerns over support for host communities. Nurul Kabir of Rajapalong Union Parishad said that only five per cent of JRP 2026 funding had been earmarked for host communities and called for the allocation to be increased to between 25 and 30 per cent in line with government guidance.
Former Palongkhali Union Parishad panel chairman Muzaffar Ahmed highlighted the continuing arrival of Rohingya refugees and its impact on local livelihoods, while Cox’s Bazar Literary Academy representative Nurul Islam called for greater transparency in the expenditure of UN agencies.
Nasima Akhter of Cox’s Bazar Youth Forum alleged that funding opportunities were concentrated among a limited number of local organisations and called for a more equitable distribution of humanitarian projects among local NGOs.
Bangladesh continues to host around 1.2 million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled violence in Myanmar in 2017. The humanitarian response in Cox’s Bazar is coordinated annually through the Joint Response Plan involving the Government of Bangladesh, UN agencies and humanitarian partners.
