By Sarah Olk
SEATTLE — Since August 2017, Bangladesh has accepted approximately 693,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, more than half of whom are children. Hundreds more arrive each week, fleeing state-sponsored violence against their ethnic group. Many Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh live in overcrowded settlements, while others reside within local communities. Their presence has greatly impacted Bangladesh and its citizens, and organizations including UNHCR, UNICEF and Oxfam are working diligently to improve their conditions and find a long-term solution to this crisis.
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To help Bangladesh find long-term solutions, the Center for Global Development has published a brief recommending that the nation find ways to “look beyond aid” in its plan to handle the refugee crisis. To keep Bangladesh’s economy strong, the center recommends expanding trade preferences with the European Union, as well as increasing opportunities for migrant workers. It may also be advantageous for Bangladesh to partner with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which finances energy projects and could expand programs to include provisions for Rohingya employment.
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