Rohingya crisis has been a top priority in the list of problems which needs solving. Bangladesh government has been working endlessly to meet the problem head on. To make things a little bit easier the government has also asked for international help from the world. So far, many have responded by sending monetary aide to the government and also a few UN bodies are working in Cox’s Bazar too. However, a great number of NGOs has grabbed onto the crisis like a group of leeches and are sucking whatever little amount they can from wherever they can.
A recent revelation which has been made public through this newspaper is the fact that multiple NGOs are working at high operational costs. Their expenses behind personnel and logistics are so high that it dwarfs what the Rohingyas are getting. This is intolerable to say the least. The funds which the generous donours from abroad have sent are meant for the Rohingyas but, when NGOs take the lions share as operational expenses then it needs no telling that the entirety of the fund was a total loss.
Are Rohingyas so inexpensive
that the operational funds
exceed what they are getting?
Prior to this there have also been other allegations against NGOs which range from playing tricks to delay repatriation of Rohingyas to aiding foreign anti-repatriation agents. Regarding the expenses, here is a brief summary which Transparency International Bangladesh has released:
Operational costs were relatively less in the cases of WFP (10.3 per cent) and UNICEF (3.0 per cent). UN Women spends about 37.5 per cent of its fund for beneficiaries, while UNHCR 74 per cent, UNFPA 82 per cent, WHO 83 per cent, IOM 85.3 per cent, WFP 89.7 per cent and UNICEF 97 per cent. Now the question is who is keeping a track of all the funds which are coming from abroad? Are the Rohingyas so inexpensive that the operational funds exceed what they are getting? Who is to answer these questions?
So far, these have not been monitored by the government nor is there any system in place through which a leash can be put on the NGOs so that they can be held accountable to their actions. The authorities concerned should take prompt steps so that the ratio of operational expenses and what the Rohingyas are getting can be balanced.
