Dhaka tackling it effectively

Bangladesh is tackling the Rohingya crisis very effectively at the diplomatic level, Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla said yesterday.

"You [Bangladesh] are dealing with it diplomatically. The issue has been dealt with at various forums, both multilaterally and bilaterally," the diplomat said, pointing out that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina raised the issue at the United Nations General Assembly.

Shringla was addressing a programme on the occasion of handing over 700 tonnes of Indian relief materials for Rohingyas to the local administration in Chittagong, reports our correspondent there.

"We do recognise that the government of Bangladesh faces a challenge which is multi-dimensional. It is humanitarian, first and foremost, but also it is a crisis that is linked to other situations and other requirements," he said.

There is also a security dimension that needs to be looked into, and a number of countries have to come together to work on it constructively, Shringla added.

Indian Navy Ship Gharial, carrying the relief assistance, arrived at Chittagong port at 7:00am yesterday.

Some 62,000 family packs of essential items, including rice, pulse, tea, sugar, salt, cooking oil, milk powder and mosquito nets, were handed over to Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Zillur Rahman at a function on the vessel.

Speaking at the programme, Shringla said Bangladesh is dealing with a very big challenge, the influx of a large number of refugees estimated to be beyond four lakh which strained the resources of the country.

As a friend and neighbour, India has responded to the situation, said the high commissioner.

He also mentioned that on an emergency basis, India sent about 107 tonnes of relief materials for the Rohingyas on September 14 and 15.

"We are very happy today that our second consignment of humanitarian relief assistance for Bangladesh to support the government of Bangladesh's efforts in dealing with the large influx of refugees from the Rakhine State in Myanmar has arrived.

"Our endeavour is to provide one family pack of essential materials for each and every refugee family that has entered Bangladesh. Our calculation has been based on the number of refugees. Of course, the number has kept on increasing, but we have tried to ensure that each family should be given one pack."

Shringla said India was deeply disturbed by the violence in the Rakhine State.

"We have felt that it is imperative that the violence is ended, and normalcy is restored as expeditiously as possible in keeping with respect for peace, justice, communal harmony and democratic values. And all of these are very important in ensuring that the situation is dealt with in a manner that is in the interest of all concerned," he said. 

"We believe that the international community, the United Nations, the UN agencies need to engage in finding a constructive solution to the crisis." 

AID FROM UK, CHINA 

A British aircraft, carrying 98.05 tonnes of tarpaulin for the Rohingyas, arrived at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport around 4:00pm yesterday. 

The UK office of the International Organisation for Migration brought the relief materials sent by the UK Department for International Development. Mark Quinn, logistics officer of the flight, handed over the relief materials to Habibur Rahman, Chittagong additional deputy commissioner (Education and ICT).

Earlier, a Chinese aircraft with 53.50 tonnes of tents and blankets for the refugees landed at the airport around 9:00am.

Li Guangjun, economic and commercial counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, handed over those to Chittagong DC Zillur.  

China has so far sent 110.53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh, said Habibur. 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries donated medicine and dry food worth Tk 1.7 crore for the Rohingyas.

Besides, it has decided to collect Tk 5 crore for the Rohingyas living in makeshift camps in Ukhia and Teknaf. Many of the refugees are suffering from diarrhoea, fever, cold, pneumonia and other skin diseases.

Leaders of the association handed over the relief materials to Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim at the Directorate General of Drug Administration office in the capital, said a DGDA press release.

MORE HELP FROM US, UK

The United States, through the US Agency for International Development, is providing an additional $6 million to the UN World Food Programme to assist the Rohingyas, reports UNB.

This funding is in addition to the $1 million provided to the WFP earlier this year, said the US Embassy in Dhaka.

Meanwhile, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said the UK would provide £30 million for the Rohingyas, added UNB.

The minister came up with the information after a meeting with a nine-member UK delegation at the secretariat.