BNP wants army for ‘proper distribution’ of relief in Rohingya refugee camps

The BNP has alleged irregularities in ongoing relief work at Rohingya refugee camps and demanded the army’s inclusion in the distribution process.

The party also asked the government to step up diplomatic pressure on Myanmar during a media briefing at Naya Paltan on Sunday.

“The government should immediately assign the army for proper distribution of relief and funds being provided by local and foreign donors,” said Mirza Abbas, a Standing Committee member who recently visited Cox’s Bazar.   

Abbas was heading the BNP team that last week tried to reach a convoy of relief trucks to refugees in Cox’s Bazar but were barred by police on the way.

The leaders were stopped for “not following the rules for providing relief”, a government minister later explained.

Over 400,000 of mostly Rohingya Muslim refugees have crossed the border into Bangladesh over the last three weeks.

They have been fleeing fresh violence in Rakhine State that began when the country’s powerful army launched a ‘clearance operation’ in response to coordinated terror attacks on security check posts on Aug 25.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees have been living in makeshift camps in Balukhali in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar.

“There is no management there, it’s almost failing. It has given rise to a terrible situation,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the media briefing.

“The government should hold urgent, national-level talks with all parties to include everyone in the handling of this massive crisis.”