Cox’s Bazaar: Fifty children have died of starvation in the last two months in unregistered refugee camps outside the official Kutupalong Burmese Muslim refugee camps in Bangladesh, said a refugee on condition of anonymity.
"We have been suffering hunger in the camp since January this year because of shortage of food. During this period, about 50 children have died of starvation," the refugee said. However, there have been no official reports about the deaths.
"We have already informed the concerned Bangladesh authorities about our situation, but there has been no action. Most families outside the camp are unable to eat twice a day," he said.
Outside the refugee camp there are over 8,000 Rohingya families living in temporary huts. Among them, an estimated 1,000 families are able to eat at least one meal a day, while the remaining do not have enough food to eat on a daily basis.
"Some families can have lunch but some families cannot. Some families can arrange for dinner but some fail. Most families are unable to have food daily in the camp," he said.
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are now prohibited by Bangladesh authorities from working outside the camps. The refugees have also been prohibited from traveling to the markets to buy food.
"We don’t have the right to go outside for a job. If we go, the authorities arrest us and push us back to Burma. So we are now staying inside the camp without any jobs or income," the source said.
Even though many families are facing hunger in the camps, there are no non-governmental organizations providing food to the refugees.
Another refugee said, "MSF is working for refugees outside the camp, but only for medical purposes. We received medicine and soap from MSF, not food or other items. We need food now more than other things."
The situation of unregistered refugees in the unofficial camps outside Kutupalong is deteriorating due to lack of adequate food. Many families continue to face hunger and starvation but there is no help from the outside world.
"The situation of refugees outside the official camp will worsen in the future if there is no intervention by the Bangladesh government and international communities. We have no opportunity of getting food from NGOs, and we have no right to work outside. How can we survive without food or jobs here?" the refugee asked.
