The World Bank (WB) has stopped approving projects for Myanmar as part of its move to beef up pressures for taking back its Rohingya people from Bangladesh in a peaceful way, said Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday, reports BSS

“They have stopped approving all projects for Myanmar except the ones for Rohingyas and other distressed communities,” he said while briefing journalists after a meeting with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim at his secretariat office in the capital.

Muhith said the visiting WB President and the UN Secretary General expressed their gratitude to Bangladesh as the country is giving shelter to around 10 million Rohingyas though it is an over populated country.

He said the visit of the WB and the UN chiefs will help create awareness among the world community for mounting pressure on Myanmar for taking back the Rohingyas.

“They (Rohingyas) will have to return to their country. We temporarily shelter them. I told the UN to take steps for making a safe zone for the Rohingyas in Myanmar so that they can live there without any fear,” he added.

Muhith said the WB will give US$480 million in grants to support the Rohingyas in Bangladesh.

“The WB has collected $480 million for the Rohingyas. From the grants, around $50 million will come within in a short time. The rest of the amount will come within two years,” he added.

The finance minister said the UN is also giving around $50 million for bearing the expenses for the Rohingyas.

Responding to a question, he said, the government has kept Taka 400 crore in the national budget for financial year 2018-19 for the Rohingyas.