Rohingyas can open bank accounts to receive aid
02 July, 2018
Rohingya refugees will soon be able to open bank accounts after the Bangladesh Bank has come up with a system to enable the displaced community to receive financial support from the government and global agencies through a proper channel.
The development comes following request from the World Food Programme to prevent overlapping of humanitarian assistance to the refugees. At present, a number of agencies are providing assistance to the Rohingyas but there have been repeated instances of the aid reaching the same households while the others are left out.
Such overlapping will be stopped when the assistance will be distributed through financial institutions, said a BB official.
Photo identity documents issued by the government and the United Nations organisations will be accepted for Know Your Client (KYC) purpose.
The Rohingya refugees will be given a prepaid debit card or mobile wallet, with which they can pay for their daily needs.
Financial service can only be provided within Cox's Bazar, the area designated for Rohingya rehabilitation by the Bangladesh government.
Such method has been introduced in different parts of the globe where refugee crisis has emerged, the BB official said, adding that the central bank has already prepared a notice to issue to banks shortly.
Bangladesh has subjected to several influxes of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar's Rakhine state due to persistent marginalisation and violence over the past 40 years. Violence escalated in the Rakhine state since August 25 last year, resulting in a full-fledged humanitarian crisis with about 700,000 Rohingyas crossing the border to Bangladesh.