Authorities in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh utilized loudspeakers and a network of volunteers and community leaders to move individuals from hazardous zones to safety on Thursday following landslides that claimed the lives of at least 13 refugees in recent days. A landslide triggered by monsoon rains led to the deaths of five children on Wednesday at an Islamic school in a camp in Cox’s Bazar, where over one million Rohingya refugees from neighboring Myanmar reside. Describing the chaotic scene, a teacher at the Islamic school mentioned that girls were preparing for lessons when part of the building collapsed, resulting in casualties.
Rescue efforts were initiated by residents of the refugee camp prior to the arrival of emergency services, as stated by Dollar Tripura, head of the local fire service and civil defense, on Thursday. Subsequently, emergency responders saved the injured and retrieved the bodies. The rescue operation was concluded on Wednesday evening. Jamal Hossain, a Rohingya volunteer involved in the rescue mission, reported that those rescued were taken to hospitals, and the deceased were all women. However, uncertainty remains regarding the presence of additional bodies beneath the debris.
Authorities in Cox’s Bazar disclosed that they were evacuating refugees from high-risk hilly regions, with over 1,000 individuals already relocated. Despite warnings, refugees often hesitate to leave their makeshift dwellings. The Bangladesh weather office has forecasted more rainfall in the upcoming days. Local media documented at least 22 fatalities in landslides and wall collapses over the past three days in the delta nation of 170 million inhabitants.
Bangladesh has long appealed to the international community for assistance in commencing the repatriation of refugees to Myanmar, but progress has been hindered. The military responsible for the 2017 attacks on the Rohingya, recognized as a genocide by numerous Western nations and international bodies, continues to govern Myanmar, making the return of Rohingya refugees a perilous endeavor. Many Rohingya opt to escape to Malaysia and other parts of Asia via unsafe fishing vessels, leading to numerous deaths and disappearances annually.
For those remaining in the camps, reductions in foreign aid by the U.S. since last year have exacerbated hardships, particularly affecting children, resulting in the closure of several schools and diminished food assistance funding.
