(BANGLADESH, December 2022)—On December 13, 2022, the U.S. government announced the establishment of a resettlement program for Rohingya refugees in collaboration with Bangladesh and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The program is part of the global U.S. Refugee Admissions Program with the aim of providing a “broader comprehensive response to the Rohingya refugee crisis.” The U.S. will consider resettlement referrals submitted by the UNHCR.
Fortify Rights has consistently called for sustainable solutions for Rohingya refugees, including through resettlement to third countries. Some of the first refugees allowed to resettle from Bangladesh were a Rohingya partner of Fortify Rights and his family. The Bangladesh government allowed this human rights defender to relocate in August 2021 after more than two years of concerted interventions for his protection by Fortify Rights and partners in the human rights movement. Following his resettlement, Fortify Rights continued to advocate for the resettlement of other refugees and human rights defenders in Bangladesh. This year alone, Fortify Rights has supported the resettlement of five refugees and human rights defenders from Bangladesh to the U.S.