373 tonnes of Indian aid received for Rohingyas

Bangladesh yesterday received a consignment of 373 tonnes of humanitarian assistance sent by India for the Rohingyas who took shelter in the country to flee persecution in their homeland in Myanmar.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya received the consignment at Chittagong port from Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

The aid, consisting mostly of emergency food items and monsoon protection, reached the port on Tuesday on board Indian naval ship Airavat.

The relief goods include 104 tonnes of milk powder, 102 tonnes dried fish, 61 tonnes baby food, 50,000 raincoats and 50,000 pairs of rubber boots.

Addressing the handing over ceremony, the Bangladesh minister said they had met Indian high officials three months back and sought humanitarian assistance to address sufferings of the refugees during the upcoming monsoon.

He said Bangladesh also seeks India's support in putting international pressure on Myanmar to take their citizens -- the Rohingyas who have taken shelter in Bangladesh -- back to their homeland.

Bangladesh wants a permanent solution to end the Rohingya crisis and the problem cannot be addressed through humanitarian assistance only, Maya said, adding that citizens of Myanmar will have to go back to Myanmar.

Seeking a special role from India in this regard, the minister said, "It is more essential to send back the Rohingyas to their country with due dignity, rather than sending relief materials for them."

Indian High Commissioner Shringla said, “It is our endeavour as it is yours to ensure that these people return to their homes as soon as possible.”

“… today we have seen the relief consignment which has been brought by INS Airavat which is essentially to deal with the monsoon affecting the people living in the refugee camps,” he said, adding, “We are also working to provide low cost housing and other socioeconomic benefits to the Rakhine state that will facilitate the safe and sustainable return of the refugees. 

“India has always stood by Bangladesh in times of need. Ours is a relationship based on trust, friendship and shared martyrdom that goes beyond strategic partnership.”

Just after the onset of the humanitarian crisis last year, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had announced “Operation Insaniyat” and the first consignment of relief supplies arrived by both air and sea within a couple of weeks of that announcement, Shringla said.

Another Indian vessel carrying one million litres of kerosene and 20,000 kerosene stoves will arrive in Bangladesh shortly to help the refugees in the monsoon season since it is very difficult to collect firewood during rainy weather, the high commissioner also said.

Disaster Management and Relief ministry Secretary Shah Kamal, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Ilias Hossain, Additional Deputy Commissioner Habibur Rahman and Chittagong Port Member (administration and planning) Zafar Alam were present among others.

INS Airavat will stay at Chittagong port for three days to offload the relief good.

Last year in September, India sent 981 metric tonnes of relief aid including rice, sugar, salt, oil, tea, noodles, biscuits and mosquito nets.