UNHCR special envoy and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie arrived here on Monday morning to assess the humanitarian needs of the Rohingyas.
During her three-day mission in the district, she will also assess some of the more critical challenges facing Bangladesh as a host country, according to UNHCR.
Bangladesh is now hosting nearly 1.3 million Rohingyas. The majority of Rohingyas – more than 620,000 people – live in just one area: Kutupalong, the largest refugee settlement anywhere in the world today.
The special envoy will conclude her Bangladesh visit after holding official meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen as well as other senior officials in Dhaka.
During the meetings, she will discuss how UNHCR can best support the current response led by the Bangladesh government, along with the need for safe and sustainable solutions to the plight of one of the world’s most persecuted minorities, UNHCR said.
Her visit comes just before the launch of a new appeal for the humanitarian situation in Bangladesh – the 2019 Joint Response Plan – which seeks to raise some $920 million to continue meeting the basic needs of Rohingyas and the communities hosting them.