NGO provides rice to unregistered refugees

 Kutupalong, Bangladesh: A Turkish humanitarian NGO provided rice to unregistered refugees in Kutupalong makeshift camp on July 31, 2011, said a refugee on condition of anonymity

The NGO provided rice in 50-kilogram bags to be shared among five refugee families each. Each family received 10 kilograms of rice.

The rice distribution was organized by Member of Parliament Bodiur Rahaman.

During the rice distribution, the MP gave orders to the police to arrest three unregistered refugees.

The three refugees were arrested by the police as one unregistered refugee took pictures while rice was being distributed among the refugees, and the other two unregistered refugees misused tokens provided by the MP, according to sources. Later the three were sent to Cox’s Bazaar Jail.

The three arrested have been identified as Sukkur, age 30, Md. Sultan, 35, and Rahmat Ullah, 40, of Kutuplaong makeshift camp.

Now, approximately 40,000 unofficial refugees, including men, women and children, live in the makeshift Kutupalong camp without recognition from the concerned authorities or UNHCR, said a committee member from the camp.

“We do not get support in terms of rations from any quarter, but sometimes local NGOs and INGOs provide us with some essential commodities. However, this is not sufficient for our families.”

The refugees said, “We are happy after receiving 10 kilograms of rice before the Ramadan.”

Source KPN