Desk Report: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday visited Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, where he observed humanitarian assistance operations, inspected healthcare facilities supported by Türkiye and reaffirmed his country's commitment to addressing the prolonged Rohingya crisis.
After arriving in Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka, Fidan travelled to the refugee settlements in Ukhia and visited Rohingya Camp-9 in the Balukhali area. During the visit, he toured a field hospital established with Turkish support and met Rohingya patients receiving treatment. He also exchanged views with healthcare professionals and humanitarian workers involved in providing medical services to the displaced population.
The Turkish foreign minister later visited Camps 16 and 17, where he reviewed living conditions, healthcare services and various humanitarian programmes being implemented for the Rohingya community. He was briefed on the challenges facing refugees and the efforts being undertaken by aid agencies to ensure access to healthcare, education, food assistance and other essential services.
Fidan also held discussions with officials overseeing camp management and humanitarian operations. The visit provided an opportunity to assess ongoing support initiatives and identify areas where further international cooperation could help improve conditions for the refugees.
Senior government officials, local administration representatives, law enforcement personnel and security agencies accompanied the Turkish foreign minister during the tour. Special security arrangements were put in place across the camp areas to facilitate the high-level visit.
The visit formed part of Fidan’s official trip to Bangladesh and highlighted Türkiye’s continued engagement in humanitarian efforts for the Rohingya population. Türkiye has been among the countries providing humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees since the mass displacement from Myanmar in 2017.
During the visit, Türkiye reiterated its support for a peaceful and durable solution to the Rohingya crisis, stressing the importance of creating conditions that would allow the refugees to return to Myanmar safely, voluntarily and with dignity. Turkish officials also underscored the need for sustained international attention and support to address one of the world's largest and most protracted refugee situations.
Bangladesh currently hosts more than one million Rohingya refugees in camps in Cox’s Bazar, with humanitarian agencies continuing to warn of growing challenges related to funding shortages, healthcare, education and livelihood opportunities for the displaced community.
