They made this call while speaking at a virtual seminar organized by COAST Trust on the occasion of World Refugee Day to be observed on June 20.

Ukhia Upazila Parishad Chairman Hamidul Haque Chowdhury presided over the seminar titled “Human Being is Above All: COVID-19 Host Communities and Rohingyas”.

COAST Trust Executive Director Rezaul Karim Chowdhury moderated the event where Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Md Mahbub Alam Talukder, Ukhia UNO Md Nikaruzzaman were present as chief and special guests respectively.

Representatives from local administration, UNHCR, Teknaf Teachers Association, Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce, Mukti, Disaster Forum, NAHAB, and BRAC University also took part in the online seminar. 

Md Mahbub Alam Talukder said, “We’ve been able to successfully fight against the widespread threat of corona infection in the Rohingya camps, for which all concerned had a role to play.”

Ukhia UNO Md Nikaruzzaman said the local NGOs understand the needs of the people of Ukhia and Teknaf better, as they are always by their side. They insisted it must continue.

UNHCR Livelihood Officer Subrata Kumar Chakraborty said 10 ICU beds and eight high dependency beds at Cox’s Bazar Sadar hospital supported by UNHCR will be inaugurated on Saturday.

COAST Trust Executive Director Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said, “We’ve to take financial advantage of the positive image that Bangladesh has created around the world by sheltering Rohingyas.”

Upazila Parishad Chairman Hamidul Haque Chowdhury said, since there is no absolute treatment for corona at the moment, we have to be more awareness oriented, maintaining health norms to prevent it.