Cox’s Bazar
Efforts to tackle COVID-19 stepped up in Rohingya and host communities in Cox’s Bazar
Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) partners - UN agencies, local, national and international NGOs with the government of Bangladesh have stepped up their efforts to respond to priority COVID-19 needs in local communities and for Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar district.
HRW urges Bangladesh to take Rohingyas stranded in Bay
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Saturday urged Bangladesh to take in hundreds of Rohingyas who are stranded in the Bay of Bengal.
WFP distributes food in Cox’s Bazar
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has started handing out food to the most vulnerable families in Cox’s Bazar affected by shutdowns due to coronavirus.
Alongside making changes in the food distribution process in the Rohingya camps, WFP is working with local government authorities to provide support to the host communities as needed, the agency said Monday.
As well as providing food to vulnerable households, WFP is also supplying food to patients in the government and humanitarian-managed quarantine and isolation facilities in the district, it said.
This includes dry food rations for up to 1,500 patients to the isolation facilities and hot meals (locally known as Khichuri) to up to 3,000 people in the government quarantine centre.
These distributions are complementing ongoing food assistance provided by the government of Bangladesh.
“It’s great that WFP stands together in solidarity with the people of Cox's Bazar during this critical time of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak,” said Md Kamal Hossain, Deputy Commissioner of the district.
He said the district administration highlights the importance of coordination to overcome this crisis. "If the lockdown continues, as is happening throughout the world, the suffering will multiply soon. Therefore, the district administration is grateful to WFP for supporting the host community of Cox's Bazar.”
Richard Ragan, WFP Representative to Bangladesh, said they always believe that a collective effort is the key to dealing with a crisis like coronavirus.
“Hence, to support people in the host community and in the Rohingya camps we have taken these initiatives alongside the government of Bangladesh to mitigate the risks and impacts of this virus,” he said.
The distributions began this week and will continue on a monthly basis.
4 more people infected with coronavirus in Cox’s Bazar
Four more people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in the district on Sunday.
Assistant professor of Cox’s Bazar Medical College and Hospital Dr Mohammad Shahjahan said of the infected people--three are from Maheshkhali upazila while one from Teknaf upazilas of the district.
With these, a total of five people tested positive for coronavirus in the district.
Moderate tremor jolts Chattogram division
A moderate earthquake jolted Chattogram, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Cox’s Bazar districts on Thursday afternoon.
Communities in Cox's Bazar make protective masks for frontline workers
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has initiated a project in Cox’s Bazar to produce 6,000 washable cloth masks for frontline Cyclone Preparedness volunteers and Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel who have been working with UN Migration to raise awareness of the disease and communicate ways to avoid infection.
Coronavirus: Special attention sought for Cox’s Bazar
Civil society leaders have demanded that both government and international agencies should give special attention to Cox’s Bazar during the current coronavirus crisis as the district is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas.
10 docs, 11 others quarantined in Cox’s Bazar
A total of 21 people -- 10 physicians, eight nurses and three conservancy workers -- were sent to home-quarantine in Sadar upazila on Tuesday as they came in contact with an elderly woman who was found to be infected with coronavirus.
CARE Bangladesh celebrates National Disaster Preparedness Day
National Disaster Preparedness Day was observed in three upazilas of Cox’s Bazar Wednesday by CARE Bangladesh in collaboration with Upazila administrations of Cox’s Bazar, Ramu and Moheskhali.
35 Rohingyas held while attempting to go to Malaysia illegally
Police on Monday detained 35 Rohingyas, including women and children, while they were preparing to go to Malaysia illegally from Rejukhal area of Ukhiya upazila in the district.