UN gives $14mn to rebuild destroyed Rohingya camps in Bangladesh

DHAKA: The UN has donated $14 million to help rebuild Rohingya camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district after they were destroyed in a massive blaze earlier this week, leaving thousands of the refugees homeless and killing at least 15 of them.

The fire on Monday ripped through four refugee camps at Balukhali, home to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who fled persecution in neighbouring Myanmar, leaving at a dozen others wounded, reports dpa news agency.

"I am allocating $14 million from UNCERF (UN Central Emergency Response Fund) to help rebuild shelter and provide other emergency services for the tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees affected by the devastating fire in the camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh," Mark Lowcock, the UN humanitarian chief, announced in a tweet.

The funds will also help provide urgent water and sanitation services, food, mental and psychosocial health assistance, the UN said.

The government and volunteers from aid agencies have started supporting the fire victims and rebuilding shelters. Aid agencies estimated some 10,000 shelters were destroyed. The fire displaced more than 45,000 people mostly Rohingya refugees, the UN agency said.

A hospital and other critical health, nutrition and education structures were also destroyed in Monday's fire. Those who were displaced have sought refuge in nearby camps, shelters and school buildings. (IANS)

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