Acute shortage of everything: UN

Aid from India, Indonesia, Morocco reach Ctg

There are acute shortages of everything, including shelter, food and clean water, as the number of Rohingyas arriving in the country from Rakhine soared to 4 lakh with thousands more arriving every day, according to the United Nations. “Up to 400,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August 25, with thousands more arriving every day. Around 60 per cent are children, according to preliminary estimates. The sheer number of refugees has overwhelmed pre-existing refugee camps, with new arrivals seeking shelter anywhere they can find space,” said a press release issued by the Bangladesh chapter of UNICEF. UNICEF trucks filled with emergency water, sanitation and hygiene supplies for thousands of Rohingya children are headed to Cox’s Bazar, with a steady  stream of supplies in the pipeline for the coming days and weeks, it said. There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water,” said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF’s representative in Bangladesh. “Conditions on the ground place children at risk of high risk of water-borne disease. We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children.”

 Supplies include detergent powder, soap, and pitchers and jugs for containing water, along with nappies, sanitary napkins, towels and sandals. UNICEF is also supporting the Department of Public Health Engineering with water treatment plants and carriers, and is working with partners on the ground to install and rehabilitate tube wells.  These items are part of a first wave of supplies that will massively scale-up UNICEF’s emergency response to the growing number of Rohingya children in Bangladesh,” Beigbeder said.

 UNICEF has appealed for $US 7.3 million to provide emergency support to Rohingya children over the next four months.

Meanwhile, several shipments of humanitarian aid for the Rohingya refugees arrived in Chittagong yesterday.  A Moroccan relief plane and an Indian Air Force plane carrying humanitarian aid arrived at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport around 9:15am and 1:30pm, respectively. A relief plane from Indonesia landed at 5:05pm. A relief plane from Iran was also en route, said sources. The Indonesian aid was received by Chittagong Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Mashooqur Rahman Sikder. 5,000 blankets and 10 large tents had arrived in the first consignment, while a second consignment was on the way, he said.

The Moroccan aid includes 14 tons of relief material, consisting of 70 tents, 1000 blankets, 500 medicine kits, 2 tons of powdered milk, one lot of mattresses and four tons of rice. The aid was handed over by the Moroccan Ambassador to Bangladesh Majid Halim to Chittagong Additional Deputy Commissioner Habibur Rahman.

The Indian aid was received by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader from Indian High Commissioner Harsha Vardhan Shringla. India has sent 53 tonnes emergency relief supplies for the Rohingya people. Shringla said India will send a total of 7,000 tonnes of relief materials for the Rohingya refugees and 53 tonnes were delivered yesterday and the rest will come through ships and aircraft.  The relief materials include rice, lentils, salt, biscuits, powdered milk, nodules, soaps and mosquito nets. Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Abdul Mannan who was also present there said the relief items will soon be sent to the Rohingya camps in Teknaf and Ukhia of Cox’s Bazar, and Bandarban.

Acute shortage of everything: UN

Aid from India, Indonesia, Morocco reach Ctg

There are acute shortages of everything, including shelter, food and clean water, as the number of Rohingyas arriving in the country from Rakhine soared to 4 lakh with thousands more arriving every day, according to the United Nations. Up to 400,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August 25, with thousands more arriving every day. Around 60 per cent are children, according to preliminary estimates. The sheer number of refugees has overwhelmed pre-existing refugee camps, with new arrivals seeking shelter anywhere they can find space, said a press release issued by the Bangladesh chapter of UNICEF. UNICEF trucks filled with emergency water, sanitation and hygiene supplies for thousands of Rohingya children are headed to Coxs Bazar, with a steady stream of supplies in the pipeline for the coming days and weeks, it said. There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water, said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEFs representative in Bangladesh. Conditions on the ground place children at risk of high risk of water-borne disease. We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children. Supplies include detergent powder, soap, and pitchers and jugs for containing water, along with nappies, sanitary napkins, towels and sandals. UNICEF is also supporting the Department of Public Health Engineering with water treatment plants and carriers, and is working with partners on the ground to install and rehabilitate tube wells. These items are part of a first wave of supplies that will massively scale-up UNICEFs emergency response to the growing number of Rohingya children in Bangladesh, Beigbeder said. UNICEF has appealed for $US 7.3 million to provide emergency support to Rohingya children over the next four months. Meanwhile, several shipments of humanitarian aid for the Rohingya refugees arrived in Chittagong yesterday. A Moroccan relief plane and an Indian Air Force plane carrying humanitarian aid arrived at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport around 9:15am and 1:30pm, respectively. A relief plane from Indonesia landed at 5:05pm. A relief plane from Iran was also en route, said sources. The Indonesian aid was received by Chittagong Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Mashooqur Rahman Sikder. 5,000 blankets and 10 large tents had arrived in the first consignment, while a second consignment was on the way, he said. The Moroccan aid includes 14 tons of relief material, consisting of 70 tents, 1000 blankets, 500 medicine kits, 2 tons of powdered milk, one lot of mattresses and four tons of rice. The aid was handed over by the Moroccan Ambassador to Bangladesh Majid Halim to Chittagong Additional Deputy Commissioner Habibur Rahman. The Indian aid was received by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader from Indian High Commissioner Harsha Vardhan Shringla. India has sent 53 tonnes emergency relief supplies for the Rohingya people. Shringla said India will send a total of 7,000 tonnes of relief materials for the Rohingya refugees and 53 tonnes were delivered yesterday and the rest will come through ships and aircraft. The relief materials include rice, lentils, salt, biscuits, powdered milk, nodules, soaps and mosquito nets. Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Abdul Mannan who was also present there said the relief items will soon be sent to the Rohingya camps in Teknaf and Ukhia of Coxs Bazar, and Bandarban.