Oxfam lauded the Bangladesh government efforts in providing access to Rohingya refugees from Myanmar on urgent humanitarians needs.
“We recognize the efforts of the Bangladesh government in providing access to the people fleeing the conflict in Myanmar,” Lan Mercado, 0xfam in Asia Regional Director, said in a statement on Friday.
She called upon the Bangladesh government to extend free and unimpeded access to all humanitarian agencies willing and able to deliver essential life-saving assistance to Cox’ Bazaar and Bandarban districts.
“Oxfam is deeply concerned about the plight of more than 160,000 civilians who have crossed the border into Bangladesh, and countless others caught up in the conflict in Rakhine State, Myanmar resulting in a large-scale humanitarian crisis,” Mercado said.
She said every day, thousands of people are taking the dangerous journey across the border, and due to access restrictions in northern Rakhine, it is unknown how many more are missing or trapped.
“Women, children, older people and persons with disabilities are among those taking shelter in the two South-Eastern districts of Cox’s Bazaar and the Bandarban,” she added.
Mercado said they are facing extreme difficulties with many living without protection and under open skies.
She said in Bangladesh, 0xfam has started to respond to the immediate needs of the people fleeing conflict by working with the International 0rganization for Migration [IOM]. We are providing containers for clean drinking water, portable toilets and sanitation facilities, plastic sheets, and other essential Non-Food Items (NFIs).
“Oxfam calls on all authorities to guarantee humanitarian access to all civilians and ensure their protection from ongoing conflict. There is an urgent need to scale up humanitarian assistance for the people,” she said.
