Orphans to get separate shelter, smartcards

The government plans to provide separate shelters and smartcards to Rohingya orphans who have entered Bangladesh since violence erupted in Rakhine State of Myanmar last month.

It will take steps to make special arrangements for accommodation, food and other relief items for all the orphans aged up to 18, State Minister for Social Welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed said yesterday.

An initiative has been taken to get 400 acres of land -- 200 acres each in Ukhia and Teknaf -- from Cox's Bazar district administration for that purpose, he added.

Noting that some 6,000 Rohingya orphans might have entered Bangladesh, Nuruzzaman said they would get "standard meal".

"As per the prime minister's directives, measures are being taken to provide every Rohingya orphan with a smartcard," the state minister told a press briefing at the secretariat.

"Details of some 2,000 orphans have already been added to a database through Google forms. And all the preparation for the database will be complete within a week. The smartcards will be issued after that."