HAMZA REFLECTS ON HIS INTERNSHIP WITH UNDP BANGLADESH

HAMZA REFLECTS ON HIS INTERNSHIP WITH UNDP BANGLADESH

Written by Hamza

Right now, I am sitting in a beautiful café, writing this article in good sunlight and enjoying local roasted coffee. It is a Friday which is the first day of the weekend here in Bangladesh. Dhaka, the capital city is where I am situated, and has become the hub for both the development sector and the financial market. The major banks, the textile industry owners and the governance institutions are all in close proximity. My work has been dynamic, the experience phenomenal. Through the cultural challenges and shifting expectations, I have become more resilient, much like Bangladesh. The history of this country is inspiring, with all the setbacks it faces; natural disasters, democratic challenges and the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis, Bangladesh continues to juggle towards a middle-income economy. Approximately five times the population of Canada (163 M), the country is strategically situated on the border of South and Southeast Asia, making its foreign policy and economic ties with neighboring countries an important aspect of understanding its present and future. The reason I chose to come to Dhaka was twofold, learning the intricacies of the development sector and understanding the common challenges that South Asian countries are facing. This is why I am here as a Junior Professional Consultant (JPC), serving at UNDP Bangladesh.

Democratic Governance

My work started in the Democratic Governance cluster at UNDP, working towards building Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, commonly known as SDG 16. For an international relations background, this was my calling. My team serves the Prime Minister's Office, works with the Supreme Court and strengthens the Parliament - all areas of great interest and experience. I am also working with the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh and have contributed to a country-wide awareness campaign on December 9^th, 2017. Reflecting on my first three months, there was a lot to learn about the UN system, the mandate of my agency, the specific work of my cluster, the people involved and most importantly the work itself. The engagements have been rewarding and I have met many inspiring people in the diplomatic community.

Myanmar-Bangladesh Border, flying from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar 

Rohingya Crisis

Then arrived the Rohingya refugee crisis on August 25, 2017. The entire world watched as Myanmar conducted its brutal campaign against the Rohingya people and the Government of Bangladesh responded by opening its border and river crossing for the masses to arrive. Over the first 5 weeks, approximately 500,000 new arrivals entered Cox’s Bazar. The numbers are astounding and the international community began its media coverage and emergency response immediately. As a Canadian and humanitarian, I knew that my time to act was now. Early in high school, I learned about the hardships faced by a Canadian General who served in the UN peacekeeping mission in Rwanda in 1994. Romeo Dallaire has always been an inspiration for my willingness to participate in humanitarian efforts, because even the smallest of acts can help a persecuted people immensely. When I learned that the UN Human Rights Commissionaire had labelled this as an “classic case of ethnic cleansing,” I knew I had to help. Being in the Country Office my role was policy level, but equally important for long term development. I asked the right people to be involved with our Rohingya refugee crisis response and started helping with an assessment being conducted to understand the situation. As a research assistant, I provided useful information to our consultants that was used to understand the economy and political implications in this region. My database then called for an engagement on a more historic project, an impact assessment on Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh. This was conducted through various consultations, visits to Cox’s Bazar and strategically connecting the dots in an environment where strong and credible data is not found in abundance. We had to navigate through the stories and tell the tale that may well be the very first of its kind and will serve as a strategic document in long term development projects. It will also lay out expert recommendations and areas of intervention for the government and UN. It was a high-level assessment and I was one of the youngest in the rooms, this experience has defined my work in Bangladesh. I am grateful for the leaders who recognized my passion and allowed me to work in this capacity, and I hope to continue serving in this crisis where I can.

Inside the Kutupalong Refugee Camp 

Next Steps

I am still exploring my next steps as the crisis continues and will be visiting Cox’s Bazar to see the humanitarian response in more detail. I am thinking of joining the long-term efforts in this cause and serving the Rohingya and people of Bangladesh during this massive refugee situation. I would like to thank the IDDIP program for providing the channel to allow my participation. I would say that it was luck that allowed me to be present here during this time and my passion to engage with various areas at UNDP allowed me to diversify and define my experience. Thank you UNA-Canada - I am grateful to all the people involved in my journey so far who have supported my development career and future aspirations.

I hope to take these lessons and apply them to a noble cause in the future.