The German government has newly contributed $4.5 million funding to the United Nations World Food Programme to support the Rohingya community in Bangladesh.

With the latest contribution, Germany has provided World Food Programme (WFP) Bangladesh with a total of $30 million since the onset of the Rohingya refugee crisis in 2017, said a WFP press release issued today.

Donated through the German Federal Foreign Office, the new funding will be used for food support as well as telecommunications services for the Rohingya community who fled persecution in Myanmar.

Welcoming the new funding, WFP said the support will help in the critical work being done for Rohingya families and their host communities in Cox's Bazar.

"At a time when Covid-19 is exacerbating inequalities and severely impacting communities in Bangladesh and also around the world, we are especially grateful for such an act of solidarity and generosity from Germany," said Richard Ragan, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh.

This contribution will support the Bangladesh government to meet its commitment to the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals as well as their host communities in Cox's Bazar, said Md Mohsin, secretary, Disaster Management and Relief Ministry.

He said lifesaving assistance is particularly important now with the ongoing pandemic and heavy monsoon rains, both of which are posing great risks to vulnerable families.

"As a longstanding partner to the Government of Bangladesh and WFP, we are pleased to know that our contribution is helping humanitarian workers in the frontline continue their lifesaving work for some of the most vulnerable people during such trying times," said Peter Fahrenholtz, Germany ambassador to Bangladesh.

The entire population of about 859,000 Rohingyas living across the camps in Cox's Bazar relies on WFP for food, said the release.

In addition, WFP provides nutrition and livelihoods support to the host communities in order to improve their long-term food security outlook, it said.

https://www.thedailystar.net/germany-contributes-4.5m-rohingya-refugees-in-bangladesh-1934489