A humanitarian assistance agreement worth Tk137 crore (AUD16 million) was signed on Wednesday between Australian and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to improve the living standards of Rohingya and local host communities.
The agreement was signed at the conference room of Ministry of Home Affairs at Secretariat in the presence of Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed. Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Susan Ryle and UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh Rana Flowers signed the accord on behalf of their respective sides.
Speaking at the ceremony, Salahuddin expressed his sincere gratitude to Australian government for the support. He voiced his hope that such cooperation from Australia and the international community would continue until the “voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable repatriation” of Rohingya to Myanmar is achieved.
The signing event was attended by Senior Secretary Monzur Morshed Chowdhury, along with senior officials from the ministry, Australian High Commission, and UNICEF Bangladesh.
This AUD16 million grant is a component of Australia’s broader AUD370 million (Tk3,162 crore) humanitarian assistance package for 2026-2028 period, dedicated to Rohingya and host communities in both Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Since the onset of the regional crisis in 2017, Australia has provided a total of AUD1.26 billion (Tk10,770 crore) in humanitarian aid.
UNICEF will utilise the newly allocated funds to support critical sectors, including education, nutrition, child protection, and safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) for the Rohingya and local populations.
