HRDC commemorate World Refugee Day 2024 with call for global action

Today (20 June) marks World Refugee Day, an annual observance since 2001 dedicated to highlighting the rights, needs, and struggles of refugees worldwide.

In commemoration of World Refugee Day 2024, the Human Resource Development Center (HRDC), in cooperation with UNITY, organised a demonstration at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Rayerbazar, Dhaka today (20 June). The event took place at 11am aimed at raising awareness about the plight of refugees.

According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) 2024 report, approximately 130.8 million individuals globally have been forcibly displaced or rendered stateless, with over 32 million of them being refugees.

UNHCR anticipates an increase in the number of displaced people due to ongoing wars, conflicts, and climate crises.

At the event, Human rights activist and HRDC Secretary General Mahbul Haque said the number of refugees has risen every year for the past decade.

He cited war, violence, human rights violations, extremism, poverty, rising commodity prices, and food crises as the primary causes of this increase.

The theme for Refugee Week 2024 is “Our Home.” This theme encourages everyone to reflect on what “home” means to them, whether it is a place of refuge, a feeling, or a state of mind.

Home can be found in various forms, from food, music, and arts to the cultures and landscapes we cherish. The theme acknowledges that for many who have had to leave their countries, finding a new home is a journey filled with challenges and hopes.

In the context of Bangladesh, about 1.2 million Rohingya refugees have sought shelter after being forcibly displaced from Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Since 25 August 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingyas have fled to escape military persecution and genocide. These refugees, displaced by the Myanmar military junta and extremist religious groups, have been residing in Bangladesh for over five years.

While highlighting Bangladesh’s significant efforts to provide safe haven to the Rohingyas despite its own challenges, Mahbul Haque acknowledged the international support and cooperation extended to the refugees, including aid from United Nations organisations.

However, he stressed that merely ensuring their safety in Bangladesh is not a permanent solution.

“The ultimate goal should be to enable the Rohingyas to live safely in their own homes in Myanmar. The Bangladesh government, in collaboration with the international community, must work towards their safe and honorable repatriation,” said the HRDC official.

He urged for a focus on addressing the root causes of displacement and emphasised the importance of negotiating with Myanmar for the immediate return of the Rohingyas to a safe and normal life in their homeland.