India has sent new relief materials for the Rohingyas living in Cox’s Bazar after fleeing ethnic cleansing in the Myanmar’s Rakhine State. High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das handed over those materials to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief at a ceremony in Cox’s Bazaar on Thursday.
Those include 1000 sewing machines with pedal, 32 office tents, 32 rescue kits and 99 family tents. This is the fifth tranche of relief assistance that India handed over to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief for Rohingyas. This tranche of relief assistance was in line with the commitment of the government of India made during the official visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi on October 5 in 2019, the High Commission said.
These supplies are intended to support the government of Bangladesh’s humanitarian efforts to shelter the displaced persons from Myanmar in temporary camps in Cox’s Bazar. These relief materials will assist the officials of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry in skill development of forcibly displaced women from Myanmar and also to tide over the unforeseen natural calamities in the camps.
This fifth tranche of assistance is part of a humanitarian relief program that has been initiated by the government of India since September 2017 by delivering a first consignment of 981 metric tons of relief supplies including family packs of rice, pulses, sugar, salt, tea, cooking oil, ready to eat noodles and mosquito nets etc.
In May 2018, 373 MT of relief materials containing 104 MT milk powder, 102 MT dried fish, 61 MT baby food, 50,000 rain coats and 50,000 pairs of gum boots for the rainy season were handed over. In September 2018, India supplied 1.1 million liters of Super Kerosene Oil and 20,000 Kerosene multi wick stoves and the fourth tranche of assistance in December 2018 included 2,25,000 blankets, 2,00,000 woolen sweaters and 500 eco-friendly solar street lights.
The High Commission said “as a friend and neighbor, India is always ready to stand with Bangladesh at times of challenge.” “India appreciates the generosity and humanitarian efforts of the Government of Bangladesh in providing temporary shelter to the displaced persons from Myanmar. These supplies underline India’s long term commitment to support the people of Bangladesh in their humanitarian effort,” said the High Commission.
