Dhaka, March 25, (dpa/GNA) – The United Nations has given 14 million dollars to help rebuild accomodation after a massive fire at refugee camps in Bangladesh made thousands of Rohingya Muslims homeless.
The fire on Monday ripped through four refugee camps at Balukhali in south-eastern Cox’s Bazar district, home to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who fled persecution in neighbouring Myanmar, leaving at least 15 people dead and dozens others wounded.
“I am allocating 14 million dollars from UNCERF (United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund) to help rebuild shelter and provide other emergency services for the tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees affected by the devastating fire in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh,” Mark Lowcock, the UN humanitarian chief, announced in a tweet.
The funds will also help provide urgent water and sanitation services, food, mental and psychosocial health assistance, the UN said.
The government and volunteers from aid agencies have started supporting the fire victims and rebuilding shelters. Aid agencies estimated some 10,000 shelters were destroyed.
The fire displaced more than 45,000 people mostly Rohingya refugees, the UN agency said.
A hospital and other critical health, nutrition and education structures were also destroyed in Monday’s fire.
Those who were displaced have sought refuge in nearby camps, shelters and school buildings.
“Rohingya refugees need our support now more than ever, as the pandemic continues to take its toll and they approach the monsoon season,” said Lowcock.
More than 1 million Rohingya Muslims fled persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar are living in crowded camps in Bangladesh.
GNA