The document discusses the plight of over 300,000 stateless people known as Bihari refugees who are stranded in Bangladesh. As a result of the 1971 war of independence, the Biharis were stripped of citizenship in both Pakistan and Bangladesh and have lived in camps ever since without rights or access to healthcare, education, or livelihood opportunities. The only organization helping them is OBAT Helpers, which operates schools, clinics, vocational training programs, and microfinance initiatives to provide education, healthcare, and self-empowerment opportunities to the refugees. OBAT's goal is to expand its programs over the next 5 years to better serve the large stateless population.

1. The only US based organization in the world that is helping these forgotten people.

2. Plight of the 300,000+
human souls in Bangladesh
Aka;
Stranded Pakistanis
Stateless citizens (an oxymoron indeed)
Bihari Refugees

3. ―To be stripped of citizenship is to be stripped of worldliness; it
is like returning to a wilderness as cavemen or savages . . .they
could live and die without leaving any trace.‖
— HANNAH ARENDT
―The Origins of Totalitarianism‖

4. The strange,
hidden world
of the stateless

5. Some stateless people, like these ones in a camp in
Bangladesh – are also refugees.

6. In the Shadow Millions Seek to
Escape the Grim World of the Stateless

7. Stateless people are almost by
definition – anonymous. They exists at
the edge of society, people with less
than most chance of survival and no
chance of a career at all

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SO U RC E : U N H C R | S AT E L L I T E I M AG E MA P ©
1 9 9 6 - 2 00 4 P LA N E TA RY V I S I O N S
CÔTE D’IV
OIRE
8
Note: F States
ew
have reliable
statistics relating to
statelesspeople. At
the end of 2006,
UNHCR was able to
report
5.8 million
stateless people
having difficulty
establishing
nationality in a
total of
49 States. However,
the agency believes
the true total may
be closer to 15
million. Stateless
populations which
are also classified as
refugees are not
featured on this
map.
ETHI
OPIA
D.R
CON
GO
A GO
N LA
ZIMBA
BWE
SRI LA
NKA
K EN
YA
100,
000
MAL
AYSIA
CAMB
ODIA
States with a
known stateless
population host
States that of more
than 10,000.
sizeable populations
at risk of
statelessness, for
* which no reliable
The total for Nepal
estimates are
has shrunk
available.
considerably during
2007, as a result of
a massive
regularization
exercise.
REFU
GEES
9

9. Ways to Become Stateless
• Political action by some taken a long time ago
•Some are being born into it
• Deliberate exile
•expulsion of Jews from Europe
•Feili Kurds from Iraq By Saddam Hussain
•Palestinian people after creation of Israel
•Muslims of North Rakhine State (Myanmar)
•Hilly tribes in Thailand
•Bidon tribesman from the Gulf States

10. Ways to Become Stateless
• Omission of a particular group, for fear of
repercussions
• Groups left out of recognized citizens when State
first constituted or reformed. Eg: the Bihari
citizens of the newly created State of Bangladesh.

11. A Brief History Lesson
• 1971 creation of Bangla Desh
▫ Bihari Nationals singled out as ―Traitors‖
▫ Their crime: Anti Bangla Desh.
▫ Assisted the Pak Army
▫ Insisted on remaining Pakistani
▫ Wanted to be repatriated to West Pakistan

12. The Lesson Continues
• Their Punishment:
▫ Many killed, maimed, raped ,belongings looted.
▫ Their property seized
▫ Appox. 500,000+ ― settled in Camps‖ all over
the country.
▫ Stripped of all basic human rights.

13. And There's More
• ICRC assume responsibility.
• ― High level discussions ― between
Representatives of BD and PK re repatriation
• Neither accepts responsibility
• 1973. 178000 repatriated in an exchange
• 4600 more in 1982

14. Just One More
• To date, several countries governments have
offered financial support.
• Trusts and money have set aside.
• ―High level discussion continues

16. General Condition
• The living condition of
these camp dwellers are
an embarrassment to the
world’s social
environment. Their
living condition is
beyond imagination.
• In third world countries,
animals live better than
them.

26. Education
• There are no schools for higher education.
• Only two primary schools providing basic
education, one in Mohammadpur camp Dhaka
and the other in Rangpur District.
• There are only ten percent of the children of the
total population that attend Madrasah type
schools.

30. Sanitation
One of the major health
hazards for camp residents
are unsanitary living
conditions. The water
supply becomes
contaminated with sewage,
and camp residents have
no choice but to continue
drinking that water.
There is a serious lack of
bathroom facilities as well.

32. Health
People have none or
very limited access to
health care. In the
entire Bangladesh,
there are only three or
four small clinics that
are being run by some
charitable
organizations.

34. Population
Total population in 66 camps of Bangladesh:
200,000. According to a rough survey in 7 camps
of Chittagong, Bangladesh;
• Total numbers of camps
7
• Total numbers of residents
23,600
• Total numbers of schools/Madrasah 3
• Total number of clinics
0
• Total number of bathrooms
34

35. Camp Life

36. Health
Education
OBAT Helpers Initiatives
Empowering the Forgotten
Camp
Improvements
SelfEmpowerment

37. The Creation of OBAT Helpers

38. Education
Camp Improvements
Self-Empowerment

39. Health
Health Clinics
Cataract Surgeries
Chemotherapy
More than 10,000
patients are served in the
clinics every year.
1,000 successful
surgeries were
completed in 2012.
OBAT has
successfully
started Mrs. Qais’
breast cancer
treatment.

40. Health
Education
Self-Empowerment
Projects include: installing deep tube wells
in different camps, rebuilding/construction
of bathrooms, sanitation facilities,
community center, providing financial
assistance to sick, elderly and widows,
Ramadan Food Distribution, Qurbani Meat
Distribution.

41. Camp Improvements
Ramadan Food
Distribution
Construction &
Rebuilding
In 2013, food was
distributed to over 2500
families, focusing on
widows, elderly members of
the camps, and families of
OBAT school students. Total
Cost: $22,500
An abundant of space
has now been
converted to a place
for community
programs and OBAT
Educational Projects.
Safe Water Projects
We are currently
running 4 deep tube
well projects to provide
a safe and clean water
source
Cost: 6,000-7,500

42. Health
Education
Camp Needs
Over 1,600 families have been selfempowered through our micro-finance
program. This program is mainly designed for
women entrepreneurs who are provide
financial assistance from 10,000 to 100,000
taka. Presently, our first project is selfsustained with a total rolling fund of more
than 40 Million taka.

43. Empowerment
Self-Empowerment
This program benefits those
individuals who are eager
to start their own
businesses.
Vocational Training
This program helps
empower women by
teaching them new skills
and abilities to help them
earn income to support
their families.

44. Empowerment Project: Borrowers per Year
1,466
Number of Borrowers
1,600
1,327
1,378
1,401
1,200
872
800
400
82
150
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Year
Please note: Reports up to October 2012

45. Amount of Loan Given (Taka)
Empowerment Project: Loans per Year
50,000,000
40,870,600
40,000,000
33,804,000
30,000,000
23,969,000
20,000,000
10,000,000
14,536,500
7,187,400
1,071,400
470,800
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Year
Please note: Reports up to October 2012

46. Health
Camp Improvements
Self-Empowerment
Altogether, OBAT operates more than
50 educational and training
projects, including schools and
tutoring, sewing and computer training
centers. More than 600 scholarships
have been offered to students pursuing
education at different levels (middle
school to higher education).

47. Education
Schools
7 Primary Schools
4 tutoring centers
21 Preschools
Adult literacy
programs
College scholarships
10 Non Formal
Education
4 Computer
Training Centers
This program allows
children to keep
working to support
families while also
gaining an education.
Computer training
opens the door of
improved education
for students and
adults alike.

48. OBAT Helpers’ Operations
Overview & Graphs

49. OBAT Helpers – General Info
Donations & Projects per Year
$350,000.00
$300,000.00
$250,000.00
$200,000.00
$150,000.00
$100,000.00
$50,000.00
$0.00
Donations
Projects & Programs

50. OBAT Helpers – General Info
OBAT Helpers Expenses Breakdown
Average from previous 9 years
6%
3%
Project & Programs
Admin Expenses
91%
Fund Raising Expenses

51. OBAT Helpers Funds by Donors
3%
97%
Individual Donations
Corporate/Organization Donations

52. OBAT Helpers
―Journey To Change‖

53. Current
5 Year Plan
Additional
Projected Total
Financial Cost
Primary Schools
6
4
10
$100,000
Middle Schools
1
4
5
$40,000
Preschools
25
75
100
$110,000
Health Clinics
2
3
5
$150,000
Higher Education
Scholarships
/year
50
200
250
$125,000
Tutoring Centers
4
21
25
$125,000
Computer
Training Centers
4
21
25
$125,000
Vocational
Training Centers
2
8
10
$35,000
$810,000

54. Project Sponsorship
Education Initiatives
• Provide lunches for students during school year:
▫ Lunches: $135,000 (.20 cents * 270 days * 250k students)
Self Empowerment
• $300-$500/per person
▫ $100,000 total cost (assisting roughly ~300 people)

55. •Financial Support:
•Adopt education project(s)
•Fund college scholarships
•Fund our health clinics
•Fund our self-empowerment program
•Fund camp improvement and development projects
•Support:
•Hold fundraising at your work place, school, or place
of worship
•Volunteer by sharing your skills with us like
writing, video making, designing brochures, quick
books, etc.
•Contact your local politicians and favorite celebrities
to bring awareness to our cause!
How can YOU help?

56. OBAT is striving to bring change and empower to this community.
Help us Help them.