Humanitarian crisis worsens in Bangladesh as many Rohingya flee Myanmar

About 146,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since violence erupted in Myanmar in late August, U.N. workers said on Wednesday.

Wednesday, September 06, 2017
An exhausted Rohingya helps an elderly family member and a child as they arrive at Kutupalong refugee camp after crossing from Myanmar to the Bangladesh side of the border, in Ukhi....

About 146,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since violence erupted in Myanmar in late August, U.N. workers said on Wednesday.

This has brought to 233,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October 2016.

The exodus has put pressure on aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous violence in Myanmar.

Following are some details on the crisis gathered from U.N. sources working in the Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh, on the Myanmar border.

• Landmine injuries occurred on Sept. 5 with two children brought in for treatment at the Gundum border area.

• The influx of refugees via marine routes has increased, with a sharp increase noted in Shamlapur from 1,090 individuals on Sept. 4 to 12,500 on Sept. 5.

• Around 33,000 refugees have gathered at three new spontaneous settlements that have sprung up at Unchiprang, Moinar Ghona and Thangkhali. There are acute humanitarian needs in these rapidly expanding settlements, especially for emergency health, safe water, food and shelter support.

• Four mobile medical teams are being deployed to different locations, and two more are planned.

• No deliveries were performed by the midwives in the last two days for new arrivals, indicating that many may have delivered outside of available health facilities.

• Strengthened family tracing mechanisms are needed for unaccompanied children and other separated families. Most children have arrived with their mothers as their fathers are missing or arrested.

• A total of 177 incidents of gender-based violence have been reported in the refugee camps since Aug. 27. Eighteen survivors of this violence have been referred for life-saving medical care. About 240 women and 60 men, including survivors of gender-based violence, attended stress management sessions.

• The community clinic in Kutupalong is overwhelmed with patients, resulting in long lines for waiting and inefficient service provision for survivors of gender-based violence seeking emergency health services. The cost of transport prohibits beneficiaries from travelling to health facilities where emergency sexual and reproductive health services are available, including clinical management of rape.

Agencies