About the Rohingya Refugee Response

The international community has been invited to support the Government of Bangladesh that is primarily responsible for the Rohingya refugee community. The Rohingya in Bangladesh are considered as refugees by the United Nations and the international community. The Refugee Coordination Model and the Global Compact on Refugees promote the values of accountable, inclusive, predictable, and transparent leadership that are central to the operation.

In Dhaka
For the international community, the Rohingya refugee response is led by the Strategic Executive Group (SEG) Co-Chairs, comprising of the UNHCR Representative accountable through the High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Resident Coordinator responsible for the broader UN engagement and on development matters, and the IOM Chief of Mission who has been invited by the Government to support the refugee response. They are ultimately accountable for the refugee response in Bangladesh.

The SEG Co-Chairs convene the Strategic Executive Group (SEG) in Dhaka that provides the strategic direction and oversight of the refugee operation and ensures a principled, timely and effective response.  The SEG comprises of members from the UN, international and Bangladeshi NGOs. 

In Cox’s Bazar
The Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) Secretariat headed by the Principal Coordinator who reports to the SEG co-chairs, ensures the overall coordination of the response at Cox’s Bazar level, including through liaison with the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, and Government authorities along with all humanitarian partners in Cox’s Bazar.

The ISCG convenes the Refugee Operations and Coordination Team (ROCT) Meeting which is responsible for ensuring a timely, principled, and coordinated response and overseeing the refugee operation in Cox’s Bazar. It is comprised of the Heads of UN Agencies that are responsible for the various Sectors, members of the international and Bangladeshi non-governmental organization (NGO) active in the response, as well as donor community representatives based in Cox’s Bazar.

2024 ROCT Members:

• Peter Kern, Head of Sub-Office/ Senior Emergency Coordinator a.i.
• Yoko Akasaka, Head of UNHCR Cox’s Bazar
• Sayed Ezatullah Majeed, UNICEF Chief Field Office
• Emmanuela Mashayo, WFP Head of Area Office
• Dr Jorge Martinez, WHO Head of Sub Office
• Rezaul Karim, Programme Head and OIC, HCMP, BRAC
• Rebecca Oketcho, Deputy Director Programs, IRC
• Shahana Hayat, Director, Cox’s Bazar Program, Concern Worldwide
• Saiful Islam Chowdhury, Chief Executive – PULSE Bangladesh Society

2024 ROCT Observers

• Roselidah Raphael, UNFPA Head of Sub Office
• Joy Galvez, FAO Head of Office
• Galiya Gubaeva, Head of Field Office – UNHCR Bhasan Char
• Anthony Caswell Perez, MSF Representative – Cox’s Bazar
• Hrusikesh Harichandan, IFRC Head of Sub Delegation
• Batoul Kazwini, ICRC Head of Delegation
• Yang Chen, NGO Platform Coordinator
• Mackenzie Rowe, PRM Regional Refugee Coordinator
• Mike Ahern, DG ECHO Country TA
• Lindsay Harnish, USAID Senior Humanitarian Advisor
• Krishnan Nair, FCDO Humanitarian Advisor
• Irene Hofstetter, Switzerland
• Tania Sharmin, Save the Children Director – Cox’s Bazar Area Office (Acting)

The ISCG also coordinates the inter-sectoral coordination and cross-cutting issues.

The Sectors involved in the Rohingya humanitarian response include Education, Emergency Telecommunications (ETS), Food Security, Health, Livelihoods & Skills Development, Nutrition, Protection/Child Protection (CP)/Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Shelter-Camp Coordination and Camp Management (S-CCCM), and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). These Sectors work together to ensure that all Rohingya refugees and the affected host communities have access to basic services in a predictable, efficient, and timely manner.

The coordination system ensures that cross-cutting issues such as the Centrality of Protection, Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD), Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) are mainstreamed across the work of all Sectors and humanitarian partners. The ISCG convenes the Inter-Sector Meeting in Cox’s Bazar to ensure a coherent, efficient, and timely inter-Sectoral response in support of operations in the camps and host communities.

In Bhasan Char
The inter-agency coordination structure in Bhasan Char is led by UNHCR. A lighter and more agile coordination system in Bhasan Char ensure greater efficiencies. A sectoral system is in place in Bhasan Char. 

Coordination Structure

The NGO Platform is an independent NGO coordination body in the Rohingya Refugee Response. For more information: https://ngoplatform.net/about/about-us.