IHRC are deeply concerned that a potential COVID-19 outbreak can cause fatal consequences in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh. Home to over a million Rohingyan refugees, Cox’s Bazaar is the world’s largest refugee camp and fears are arising that the overcrowding can exacerbate a COVID-19 outbreak.
Background
Requested Action
Model Template
Recipient addresses
Background
IHRC are deeply concerned that a potential COVID-19 outbreak can cause fatal consequences in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh. Home to over a million Rohingyan refugees, Cox’s Bazaar is the world’s largest refugee camp and fears are arising that the overcrowding can exacerbate a COVID-19 outbreak.
According to the OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), as of March 2019, over 909,000 Rohingya refugees have gathered in Cox’s Bazaar in Bangladesh. Since 2019, the number has grown over a million.
The persecution of Rohingyas has been ongoing for decades, however recently, since October 2016, there has been a large escalation of attacks. While it is still continuing in parts of Myanmar, some of the worst humanitarian catastrophes have already occurred. It is estimated that more than 20,000 people were killed, with thousands of Rohingya internally displaced, accompanied by rapes, looting, torture and beatings.
There have been 702 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 13 deaths in the Cox’s Bazar district with fear amongst refugee workers this could rapidly increase in the camps.
To find out more about the campaign, visit the campaign page here.
Requested Action
Write to the Bangladesh High Commissioner / Ambassador in your country and urge them to improve conditions in the camps, provide adequate medical facilities and testing kits.
Model Template
Dear [Insert Ambassador’s Name]
I am writing to you to express my concerns about the current conditions in the camps of Cox’s Bazaar. There has been a large number of COVID-19 cases in the camps.
In accordance with the World Health Orginisations’ framework of priorities and guiding principles to promote the health of refugees and migrants, I am writing to urge you to:
- Improve the conditions of these camps
- Provide adequate healthcare facilities
- Increase testing capacity immediately.
I look forward to hearing from you about the measures you are planning to take to alleviate the health conditions of the Rohingyas taking shelter in Cox’s Bazaar.
[Your Name]
Recipient Addresses
In the current circumstances, IHRC requests you send emails and not post letter. To find the Ambassador / High Commissioner of your country, please see:
https://www.embassypages.com/bangladesh
H. E. Ms. Saida Muna Tasneem, Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK, Ireland and Liberia & Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the IMO, mca@bhclondon.org.uk
Tarik Ahsan, Pakistan High Commissioner, mission.islamabad@mofa.gov.bd
Shahidul Islam, Malaysia High Commissioner mission.kualalumpur@mofa.gov.bd
