Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazaar: About 2,000 semi-official refugees from Kutupalong Official Camp have been facing acute financial hardship for their survival since three months ago after a new Camp-in-Charge came to the camp, said one of refugee committee leaders who declined to be named.

In Kutupalong Camp, there are two categories of refugees; one is fully recognized as official refugees who receive full rations and other facilities from the concerned authorities, and the other is semi-official refugees who only receive non-food items such as sheds, kerosene, soaps, and firewood. The semi-official refugees number about 2,000, while 9,000 official refugees are living in the camp.

After the arrival of Mirshokot Ali, the new Camp-in-Charge at the camp, he ordered shop owners who had established small shops in the camp to pay 500 taka per month per shop as a tax. But the refugee shop owners rejected the order of the camp officer. So, the camp officer became angry and destroyed all the shops in the camp after seizing all the goods from the shops, said another refugee leader from the camp.

Some of the destroyed shop owners are identified as Hyrul Amin, MRC# 2332, Shed #57, Block #C, and Abul Fayas, Shed #4, and Block #B of Kutupalong Camp. They have both lost at least 50,000 taka.

Besides, all the semi-official refugees are also restricted in their movement, and are not allowed to possess mobile phones.

Since long ago, the semi-official refugees have been earning money to support their family members by doing work outside of the camp and by establishing small shops in the camp. The World Food Program (WFP) also lent money to the refugees who established small shops in the camp to support their family members. The refugees are compelled to do work outside of the camp and sell goods in the camp because they do not get any rations from any quarter, said a female refugee who prefers not to be named.

At present, their shops have been destroyed and the concerned authorities continue to impose movement restrictions on them. They are not allowed to do any business in the camp. Without going out of the camp, they are not able to support their family members. Therefore, these refugees are now facing an acute food crisis in the camp.