"U.S. assistance for Rohingyas in Bangladesh will persist"

The United States will continue its aid for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, as confirmed by Shafiqul Alam, the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary. Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus expressed his appreciation towards U.S. President Donald Trump for this ongoing support. Alam explained that although Trump had temporarily suspended all U.S. foreign assistance programs for 90 days through an executive order after taking office, aid for the Rohingya people in Bangladesh will remain unaffected.

During a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy auditorium, Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir assured that USAID’s food assistance to the Rohingya refugees would continue without interruption. He also noted that Khalilur Rahman, the Chief Adviser’s special representative, had recently visited the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka to express gratitude for the continued aid. Alam further announced that the government plans to hold a large-scale international conference on the Rohingya crisis later this year, expecting participation from 170 countries. The United Nations will co-host the event.

In relation to the Chief Adviser’s recent visit to the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Alam described it as historic. He highlighted that Dr. Yunus attended at least 47 events during the summit.

On the issue of human rights violations, Alam addressed concerns over extrajudicial killings by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). He referred to estimates from the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance, which suggests that around 3,500 extrajudicial killings have occurred over the last 15 years. The commission has already recorded the names of over 1,700 victims. The commission was formed to investigate cases of missing persons between 2009 and 2024, and it has reviewed 758 complaints, with 130 disappearances reported in 2016. Though political disappearances had occurred sporadically under different governments, the issue gained significant attention during the Awami League government in 2009.

Finally, responding to journalists' questions about an interview with former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Shafiqul Alam criticized him, calling him "the butcher of Bangladesh" responsible for numerous deaths. He condemned Kamal for his involvement in the killings of children, students, workers, and rickshaw pullers, emphasizing that Kamal’s credibility reflected the standards of those who gave him a platform.