DHAKA, Bangladesh

The Japanese government and the UN refugee agency on Wednesday signed an agreement of 600 million yen (approximately $4.5 million) for the protection and assistance of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

The new partnership agreement will strengthen lifesaving and life-sustaining services and support the self-reliance of refugees and Bangladeshi host communities on the southeast coast of Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char island in the Bay of Bengal, according to a statement by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Dhaka.

Bangladesh is currently hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in the congested camps in the country's southern border district of Cox's Bazar. Most of these persecuted people fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state in August 2017.

“This new contribution from the government of Japan for some of UNHCR’s essential protection and assistance programs as well as livelihood activities in the camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char comes at a critical time now that we are facing a looming funding crisis already manifest in reduced refugee access to food,” said Johannes van der Klaauw, UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh, in the statement.

Japan also assured to remain engaged in the repatriation process of refugees.

“We will continue to engage in the solution for a voluntary, safe, and sustainable return, and will cooperate with UNHCR and other humanitarian partners to achieve better living conditions for refugees and host communities,” said Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori in the statement.

On Bhasan Char, the Japanese contribution will allow UNHCR to expand and enhance education and livelihood activities to help refugees in supporting their communities, continued UNHCR.

In addition, the funding will support the renovation of two primary healthcare centers in Bhasan Char.

Since the beginning of the emergency in August 2017, Japan has been a steadfast supporter of the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh, contributing over $204 million to UNHCR and other UN agencies and NGOs in Bangladesh, said UNHCR.