More forest land for Kutupalong refugee camp: Maya

A further 1,000 acres forest land will be allocated for expanding the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia of Cox's Bazar, increasing the allocated land to 3,000 acres, the relief and disaster management minister said today.

The new land will be allocated to bring all Rohingyas under one camp, Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said at a press conference at the ministry's conference room.

Relief and Disaster Management minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya briefs reporters at his ministry on October 5, 2017. Photo: Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee

The Rohingya people who have entered Bangladesh since 1978 and are staying in temporary camps will be brought to the camp, the minister added.

More than 75,000 sheds have been constructed in the camp so far and the government will construct a total of 1,50,000 sheds to accommodate the Rohingya people there, the minister said.

In the recent wave of violence that broke out in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, targeting the ethnic Rohingya community, over 500,000 Rohingya refugees have entered Bangladesh from August 25 till October 4, said Maya.

The minister also warned against doing politics over the Rohingya issue.  

Facilities being added in the camp

So far, 61,000 Rohingya people have been registered under the biometric process and it will take two to two and a half months to complete the whole process, Maya said.

Two lakh Rohingya people have been vaccinated and 61,000 have received Vitamin A, he added.

The government has decided to construct 17,500 latrines in addition to 3500 latrines that were already built in the camp, the minister said.

For access to safe drinking water 1,528 tube wells have also been installed, Maya said.

A police station and a fire service station will also be set up within the camp.