Staff Reporter:
Bangladesh has called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to explore pathways for the sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain requested newly appointed UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh Ivo Freijsen to use his portfolio not only to garner greater support for the Joint Response Plan (JRP) 2025–26, but more importantly to ‘explore practical pathways’ for the early, safe, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
The Rohingya issue was discussed when Freijsen met Adviser Hossain on Thursday and presented his credentials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Both sides exchanged views on UNHCR’s work in providing humanitarian assistance to the temporarily sheltered Rohingyas in Bangladesh and the on-going implementation of the Joint Response Plan (JRP) 2025-26.
During the meeting, Freijsen and Hossain reiterated their shared commitment to providing protection and finding a sustainable solution for the more than 1.3 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar currently living in Bangladesh.
“It is both an honour and a privilege to represent UNHCR in Bangladesh—a country that has so generously hosted people forced to flee for many years. I look forward to working closely with national and international partners to support Bangladesh in its ongoing response to the Rohingya refugee crisis,” said Freijsen.
The Foreign Adviser wished Freijsen a successful tenure in Bangladesh. Freijsen also called on Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.
The Foreign Secretary stressed on the importance of UNHCR’s active engagement at the highest level in the upcoming high-level conference on the Rohingya situation in New York.
Both sides agreed that the UN-led conference will be a critical opportunity to galvanize international attention and action to the crisis.
Freijsen, a national of the Netherlands, was most recently UNHCR representative in Lebanon (2023-2025) and prior to that in the Islamic Republic of Iran (2018-2022).
His humanitarian career spans over three decades and includes senior roles in UNHCR, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the European Commission and various international NGOs.
Over the years, he held positions in various countries including Iraq, Sudan, Egypt and Switzerland, working extensively on humanitarian affairs, refugee protection and emergency response.
“UNHCR remains committed to protecting and assisting refugees until conditions allow for their safe, voluntary and sustainable return to Rakhine State. Amid growing global aid constraints, I will work closely with humanitarian and development partners to sustain international engagement and advocate for lasting solutions to this protracted crisis,” said Freijsen.
Bangladesh has generously hosted the Rohingya refugees, most of whom arrived in 2017 when widespread violence and persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine state forced nearly 740,000 people to flee and seek safety across the border.
UNHCR works together with the government of Bangladesh and other humanitarian actors to provide protection, shelter and essential services to the refugees, who have been unable to safely return until now.
