Teknaf, Bangladesh: Twenty nine unregistered Rohingya refugees died in the Leda camp due to lack of proper treatment in July and August 2008, according to Md. Ayub, a Majee (shed leader).
Most of the refugees died of pneumonia, malaria, fever, odema, asthma, and starvation. When the patients went to the clinic of the Islamic Relief (IR), they were given some paracetamoles, and some anti-biotic capsules. They could not afford treatment elsewhere.
Starvation was also the cause of the deaths because they did not get any support from any quarter. Besides, they cannot go out to work because they have to spend Taka 40 as bus fare to and from Teknaf whereas they earn only Taka 70 per day. They need Taka 30 for necessary expenditure.
A refugee said, "We used to get enough medical treatment from MSF (Holland) when we were in Dum Dum Meah camp. But we do not get proper treatment in Leda camp. So, deaths by diseases have increased in the camp.
Another refugee said, "When we were in Dum Dum Meah camp, Teknaf was at a walking distance from our camp, so it was easy for us to go there for jobs without incurring any expenditure. We had other facilities such as collecting fire wood, catching fish in the Naff River among other things. But, now, we are afraid to go to the forests to collect fire wood for fear of robbery by locals."
The dead were identified as Eman Hussain (40), son of ,Md. Sadek , Block B, Rom No. 273, Zahid Hussain( 4 months), son of Kasim Ali, Block D, Room No. 132, Zabernissa (50), daughter of Nabi Hussain, Block B, Room No. 234, Kala Meah (60), son of Ezar Meah, Block A, Room No.133, Md Salam (22), son of Md. Jalal, Block B, Room No.255, Fatema Khatoon (one months), daughter of Sultan, Block B, Room no.136, Eman Hussain ( 2), son of Md Hussain, Block B, Johar Ansar Rana ( 3 months), son of Abu Taher, Block B, Room No. 132, Johar Ahmed (70), son of Hussain Ali, B block, Bodozzaman (65), son of Abu Bakker, Block B, Room No. 173, Md. Hussain (77), son of Ulla Meah, Block B, Room No.77, Abdul Salam (50), son of Abdul Zabber, Block C, Room No.193, Noor Kamal ( two days), son of Hafez Ahmed, Block F, Room No. 176, Rasheda Begum(35), daughter of Amir Hamza, Block E, Room No. 98, Md. Sayed (25), son of Nurul Alam, Block F, Room No 28, Salima Khatoon ( 23), wife of Hafez Ahmed, Block F, Room No. 176, Anzuma ( 3), daughter of Zamal Hussain, Block E, Room No. 93, Fatema (2), daughter of HabiUllah, Block A, Room No.283, Mabiya Khatoon (60), daughter of Jalal Ahmed, Block C, Room No.2, Noor Jahan ( one month), daughter of Md Sultan, Block B, Room No.136, Mazeda ( 3), daughter of Md. Amin, Block C, Room No.22, Abdur Rahman(70), son of Nazir Hussain, Block C, Room No. 206, Nur Begum (90), daughter of Waziduddin, Block E, Room No.35, Zahida Begum( 30), daughter of Lukman Hakim, Block C, Room No. 123, Md. Ayub( one day), son of Rashid Ahmed, Block F, Room No. 303, Md. Shoffi(70), son of Sayed Alam, Block E, Room No.167, Zakir Hussain (70), son of Md. Hussain, Block E, Room No.35, Noor Bosher (3), son of Jamal Hussain , Block F, Room No. 264 and another 10 year old child, said another refugee requesting not to be named.
There were 11 women and 18 men among the dead. ##
