UNHCR calls for redoubling humanitarian efforts for Rohingyas

The UNHCR today called for a redoubling of the international humanitarian response in Bangladesh, saying, the conditions for an estimated 480,000 Rohingyas who have fled to the country from Myanmar in the last month could still deteriorate.

"This morning UNHCR has flown in its fourth humanitarian airlift. The UNHCR-chartered Boeing 777 cargo jet, loaded with 100 metric tonnes of aid, landed in Dhaka at 12.30 hours today. As shelter needs in south-eastern Bangladesh are acute, this flight has been loaded with shelter materials only. Two more aid flights are being scheduled," UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards told newsmen at a briefing in Geneva.

Eadwards said despite every effort by those on the ground, the massive influx of people seeking safety has been outpacing capacities to respond, and the situation for these refugees has still not stabilised.

"Many of those who have arrived recently are deeply traumatized. Despite having found refuge in Bangladesh, they are still exposed to enormous hardship. At the request of the Bangladesh authorities, UNHCR and our partners have scaled up protection and life-saving support to the new arrivals in Kutupalong and Nayapara camps, and extended this support to the informal settlements surrounding these camps," he added.

UNHCR is also distributing emergency shelter kits, kitchen sets, jerry cans, sleeping mats, solar lamps, and other non-food items.

The UN agency said it is continuing identify and support the most vulnerable refugees such as unaccompanied children, women, the elderly and disabled, who are in urgent need of shelter, food, water, and healthcare.

The UNHCR spokesperson said, "In the last week, we and partners distributed hygiene kits to some 1,900 women, while each day an average of 9,900 people received meals through community kitchens, 2,600 received other hot meals, and 4,700 received high energy biscuits."

As the population in the Kutupalong and Nyapara camps has now doubled, so have the needs for clean drinking water. In the last few weeks, the UNHCR constructed additional seven deep tube-wells, 13 shallow tube-wells, and 116 latrine chambers in the two camps to help deal with this increase.

During his visit to Bangladesh in the past weekend, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi discussed the importance of working towards solutions with Bangladeshi authorities, but emphasized that for now, the immediate focus has to remain on fast, efficient and substantial increase of support to those who are so desperately in need.