Bangladeshi Leader Yunus Under Fire: Netherlands Sends ₹5 Crore Aid for Rohingya Crisis

Bangladesh today shelters the world’s largest Rohingya refugee population, with nearly one million displaced people taking refuge in the country. The crisis began in 2017 when around 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar following widespread violence. Since then, numbers have steadily increased, with another 1.5 lakh Rohingya entering Bangladesh in the past 18 months due to fresh clashes in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

International bodies and foreign governments have consistently extended support to Dhaka for managing this humanitarian challenge. Despite this, ministers in Muhammad Yunus’s government have described the aid received so far as insufficient and appealed for more global assistance.

Netherlands Steps Forward

On Thursday, the Netherlands Embassy in Dhaka announced fresh financial assistance worth €500,000 (approximately ₹5 crore) for Rohingya refugees. The aid will be routed through the UNHCR to ensure protection and humanitarian relief.

The embassy said in its statement:
“The Netherlands is committed to supporting Bangladesh’s efforts to provide shelter to Rohingya refugees. In this context, we are announcing financial support of 500,000 euros to our trusted partner, UNHCR, for protection and humanitarian assistance.”

This announcement follows UN Secretary-General’s visit to Rohingya camps alongside Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, during which he emphasized continued global responsibility toward the refugee crisis.

Rohingyas in India

Apart from Bangladesh, a sizable number of Rohingya have also taken refuge in India. However, they face increasing hostility amid ongoing campaigns demanding their expulsion. International human rights organizations have criticized these moves, reiterating that the Rohingya remain one of the most persecuted communities in the world.