Rohingya refugee camps on lockdown: So is Cox’s Bazar

The authorities have put 34 Rohingya refugee camps at Ukhiya and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar on lockdown along with the entire district in southeastern Bangladesh amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

Only emergency health services and distribution of food aid will be allowed in the camps, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Md Mahbub Alam Talukder said on Thursday.

“We will not allow people to roam about for good reason,” he said.

The district’s Deputy Commissioner Kamal Hossain imposed the ban on travel to and from the district on Wednesday.

The inhabitants of the district will be under lockdown for an indefinite period, he said.

The authorities announced the shutdown of all tourist spots in Cox’s Bazar last month.

“In fact, an unofficial lockdown of the refugee camps had already been there since Mar 11,” refugee commissioner Mahbub said.

Vehicles moving into the camps for emergency reasons will require permission of his office, he said.

Army personnel sealed off the camps while police and Rapid Action Battalion were patrolling inside, Mahbub said.