Unaccompanied Rohingya children to have separate smartcards and camps

The social welfare ministry has sought land from the government to shelter unaccompanied child Rohingyas in separate camps.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 26 Sept 2017, 10:18 AM
Updated : 26 Sept 2017, 01:06 PM

Separate smart cards will be issued to minor children orphaned or separated from their families, said Social Welfare Secretary Zillar Rahman. As many as 1,800 children have been given their smart cards.

“We have requested 200 acres of land in Ukhiya and Teknaf to shelter Rohingya children. Once we have the land we will request the prime minister to build a separate camp there.”

The social welfare secretary and State Minister for Social Welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed held a press conference at the Secretariat on Monday to highlight the ministry’s work on the Rohingya refugee situation.

Separate smartcards are being distributed to unaccompanied Rohingya children at the prime minister’s directive, Rahman said. The secretary hopes to separate the 1,800 children from the other refugees within the next week.

“Those between 13 and 18 years of age are vulnerable. They may become involved in unrest if allowed to remain in the general population. So the government has decided to take measures to separate them from others.”

The secretary outlined plans to house children up to seven years of age at one camp and those between eight and 18 years of age at another once the land is allocated.

“We want to keep the children away from the influence of the [insurgents]. It is for their good and to maintain peace in Bangladesh.”

Several parents have attempted to register their children as orphans in the hope of receiving special treatment, Rahman said.

“None of the Rohingya children are in critical condition, they are being looked after. We hope that international pressure will help them return home soon. But they will be supported as long as they are here, according to the prime minister’s orders.”

About 450,000 Rohingyas have fled across the border into Bangladesh since the Myanmar military began a crackdown in the border state of Rakhine on Aug 25. UNICEF estimates 60 percent of the refugees are children.

Over 1,400 unaccompanied minors have been identified since an earlier crackdown in Rakhine state that led to an influx of refugees last October, UNICEF Communications Manager Sakil Faizullah told bdnew24.com.

“We will try to reunite the children with their families. UNICEF workers are going from camp to camp looking for them. We have managed to reunite 51 children with their families so far.”

Faizullah said the government had not discussed its plans to house the unaccompanied minors separately with UNICEF.