In the past two weeks, 623 families living in flood-prone areas of Kutupalong were relocated to safer parts of the settlement. UNHCR is working closely with the government and other partners to prepare for the upcoming monsoon season.

UNHCR and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) launched a project to prevent dangerous encounters with elephants, which have resulted in at least 10 deaths in Kutupalong settlement. The highly congested site lies on one of the migratory routes for Asian elephants.

As part of their winterization activities, UNHCR and its partners are continuing to distribute shawls and sweaters as the temperatures decrease. A total of 20,458 shawls were distributed as of 20 December. UNHCR is also distributing, through its partners, sweaters for children under five. In Nayapara, the military agreed for UNHCR to use its distribution point, which will increase the outreach from 526 families to 1,200 families during each distribution that takes place four times a week.

The Government of Bangladesh and UNHCR launched a joint verification exercise for Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar. The exercise will help consolidate a unified database for the purposes of protection, identity management, documentation, provision of assistance, population statistics, and ultimately solutions for an estimated 900,000 refugees who have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh. It is expected to take up to six months to complete.

UNHCR and the Government of Bangladesh in Geneva finalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) relating to voluntary returns of Rohingya refugees once conditions in Myanmar are conducive.

United Nations agencies and NGO partners today released the 2018 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis, a US$951 million appeal to meet the urgent needs of nearly 900,000 Rohingya refugees and more than 330,000 vulnerable Bangladeshis in the communities hosting them.

UNHCR hosted a gathering with political leaders from four continents, including Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Turkey and the World Bank at the UN General Assembly High Level Week in support of the global compact on refugees, a robust and systematic model to improve the lives of refugees and their host communities. The High Commissioner praised the role of host countries as first responders to refugee emergencies, like Bangladesh. The compact is expected to be endorsed in December 2018.

Kelly T. Clements, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, concluded a four-day visit to Bangladesh. While in Cox’s Bazar, she met with local officials to discuss the ongoing operational response and opportunities to further aid Bangladeshi communities generously hosting refugees.

The joint family counting exercise, led by the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) and supported by UNHCR, was launched in Balukhali. A joint team of around 114 staff is collecting information on families, including vulnerabilities and specific needs, and geo-localising them through a mobile device. Refugee families will receive an RRRC card to facilitate harmonized assistance delivery.

UNHCR identified sites to build five additional health centres, as planned in its emergency response plan. Two centres are under construction and already providing some services, such as outpatient and maternity services. The five health centres will benefit approximately 50,000 patients each, thus covering a total 250,000 refugees.