UNHCR gives buses for students in Ukhiya

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UNB, Dhaka :
UN refugee agency UNHCR donated five buses for students of local colleges in Ukhiya and Cox’s Bazar city.The gesture is part of the agency’s appreciation of the local community’s role in responding to the Rohingya influx since August 2017, UNHCR said in a statement.
A handover ceremony was attended by Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commis-sioner Mohammad Abul Kalam, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Kamal Hossain, principals of five colleges, as well as senior UNHCR staff. Kalam said the local community deserves appreciation for its role after the influx.
DC Hossain thanked UNHCR for their continuous support to the Rohingya as well as the host community. “We’re very happy to be able to provide this support for college students,” said UNHCR’s Senior Field/ Technical Coordinator Oscar Sanchez Pineiro, adding that UNHCR and its partners recognise the impact that the Rohingya response has meant for the host communities.
“This is why we are undertaking a number of initiatives to support the local communities and host government meet some of the arising challenges,” he said.
The initiatives aim to improve the lives of local Bangladeshis in refugee-hosting areas by supporting basic services, education, health, livelihoods and infrastructure initiatives. Last year, 40 Quick Impact Projects were launched, mostly in Ukhiya and Teknaf, benefitting more than 1,34,000 Bangladeshis. Some of the projects included site and building improvement works in 70 education institutions, both schools and colleges.
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