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Rabi Banerjee
Rabi Banerjee

REFUGEE CRISIS

Relief for Rohingyas inadequate, says Bangladesh

rohingya-food Young Rohingya refugees look through the fence at food being distributed at Balukhali refugee camp in Bangladesh's Ukhiya district | AFP

The Bangladesh government said that the global community is yet to wake up to the crisis in the country due to the influx of displaced Rohingyas from Rakhine province in Myanmar. It said that Bangladesh was trying to feed more than four lakh refugees but has got little help from other countries. In fact, the government wants UN bodies to send more relief materials to Chittagong.

Speaking exclusively to THE WEEK, Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu said, “Countries like India have sent some help. There are other countries like Indonesia, Turkey and some other Middle East countries who have sent relief materials. But I must say they are inadequate and need to be supplemented by the global community. We would like to send message to the UN bodies and request them to send more relief materials.”

The Bangladesh government has isolated the Rohingya refugees from the its citizens in Chittagong. They have been given biometric identity cards, using which they can get relief materials. Others would not have access to it.

Inu said that Bangladesh was yet to have a full-fledged talk with the Myanmar government.

“But we have met Myanmar diplomats posted in Bangladesh and asked them to solve the issue forever. We are waiting for their response,” he said.

Though Bangladesh has not set a deadline to resolve the Rohingya crisis, it wants the Myanmar government to act immediately to diffuse the tension.

“They [Myanmar] should take necessary action so that the people would not have to come to our land. At least the mass exodus must be arrested,” Inu said.

Senior leaders of Awami League, Bangladesh's ruling party, are overseeing the distribution of relief materials to the Rohingyas. To pave way for more relief materials, Bangladesh has opened Chittagong to the anti-disaster forces from all over the world.

“We want other countries in the world to come and see the situation here. We have opened the gates for relief and health teams from across the world,” the Bangladesh minister said.

An official in the relief department said, “We have a one of the most efficient relief distribution systems in Bangladesh. We are trying our best to give the Rohingyas food and shelter.”

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