Dhaka: Shortly after visiting Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar district, visiting World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on Monday said they are all Rohingyas today, reports the UNB.

‘I am extremely humbled and moved by the courage of the #Rohingya. We cannot turn our heads away. We stand in solidarity—today we are all Rohingya,’ he said.

The WB chief conveyed the message in a tweet before a joint press conference held in a city hotel with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

At the press conference, Kim said this is a very special situation and under exceptional circumstances, they have decided to provide about half a billion dollars to Bangladesh in grants for Rohingyas and host communities.

‘This was the right thing to do,’ he said, adding that it was really UN chief’s inspiration that led the WB Group to work in humanitarian responses, especially around the issue of refugees when he was UN refugee commissioner.

‘He made an extremely compelling and inspiring speech in the UN about Syrian refugees,’ Kim recalled.

World Bank Country Director Qimiao Fan and UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Mia Seppo were also present.

About their visit to Rohingya camps, the WB chief said those stories were absolutely appalling and they need to support Rohingyas even more.

‘They want rights and dignity. We are very encouraged to see they are very focused on their rights,’ he said.

‘This is a good start. We need to do lot more support,’ he said adding that now is the time all the people who have good faith and good will to step up and support the efforts.

Responding to a question, the WB chief said they are very open to support in Myanmar to create conditions for Rohingya to go back.

In another tweet, Kim said their cooperation with UN agencies is unprecedented. ‘By filling the gap between humanitarian and development response, we are able to provide better support to refugees and host communities.’

He mentioned that Bangladesh cut poverty in half between 1991 and 2016 and in the process created more opportunities for its people.

The World Bank Group continues to support Bangladesh’s progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with record lending of more than $3.5 billion this year.