22 Bangla Post 12 - 18 July 2019
Nottingham charity carries out its pledge to build 250 mid-term shelter homes to withstand the monsoon in Cox’s Bazar M
uslim Hands has completed construction of over half the 250 mid-term shelter homes in Kutupalong Refugee Camp it pledged to build, primarily for widowled families and new refugees arriving in the camp. These mid-term shelter homes are stronger than traditional transitional shelters as they contain concrete pillars and cemented floors, ensuring that they are able to withstand the cyclone season and monsoon rains. In 2018 the worst of the rains fell in the months of June and July killing 12 people and displacing thousands of families. As it stands currently, many are living in makeshift shelters which cannot protect them from the elements. Over the years, nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees have crossed into Bangladesh and they are now trying to survive in squalid and overcrowded conditions, in what the UN refers to as ‘the world’s largest refugee settlement’. Muslim Hands has so far completed the construction of 150 mid-term shelters, each costing £1,000 on new land allocated by the Government of Bangladesh, and is
one of the few charities given permission to do so. As well as providing homes to protect Rohingya refugees, Muslim Hands has set up other medium to long-term proj-
ects in Cox’s Bazar by providing clean water, education and medical care. To find out more about Muslim Hands and the work we do, visit our website muslimhands. org.uk
or call 0115 911 7222. Imran Ahmed, Muslim Hands Staff Member, says; ‘Visiting the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar
and seeing the living conditions of the refugees is unimaginable. The rain is strong and heavy and you can see children and women running into their homes hoping for protection. The sad truth is the current shelters are not strong enough and with monsoon season approaching many will lose everything they hold dear if new shelters are not built immediately. I urge people to donate to ensure these Rohingya refugees and their families are protected but also to provide dignity and privacy to the women who reside here,
Victory for Mr. Modi & Bangladesh India Relation
Imran A. Chowdhury
T
he Indian election of 2019 was a festival for almost a billion voters in the country; the total number of Indian eligible voters represent almost 10% of the world population. Congratulation to the people of India for their quest to yet again proving the essence of peoples’ power. Voters of world’s biggest democracy have spoken and never in the history after the liberalisation of India an incumbent Prime Minister has won an election before like this one. This victory and the landslide are an unprecedented mandate of pro in-
cumbency. The whole world ought to draw a lesson from this epic democratic exercise. Outside India, the mammoth win is regarded as an avidity and also highly perceptible. The world requires India under the leadership of Mr. Narendra Modi to accelerate as a global power. I am hopeful that He will be in a position to deliver that. Bangladesh; the whole population was observing with keen interest to see the unfolding events of the Indian election and was perhaps taking notes to emulate the same democratic practices in the future days to come. What a gigantic task it was for an election commission to accomplish an exercise of this magnitude. My sincere accolades for those who have made this Herculean task possible. India and Bangladesh relation on the back of this win will be reaching all height. The present government in Bangladesh under the leadership Sheikh Hasina has been very suc-
cessful in energising the whole country towards the path of economic excellence for the last 10 years and consecutive democratic mandate for her government has been an enormous catalyst for that growth. Bangladesh and India enjoy the best relation in the region per se. Mr. Modi’s new government will be perceived as a Messiah in the region by more than 1.7 billion people. Bangladesh was overwhelmed to receive those disputed enclave after 72 years of miseries under the former Mr. Modi government. The credit line at the tune of $4.5 billion was an important cash inflow for Bangladesh's social development and infra structural projects. The relation and attachment in between India and Bangladesh is something embedded in their social, cultural and historical genesis for centuries. Now it's time to extricate the fruition of that commonality. This will further enhance from strength to strength. Bangladesh
owes a great deal of gratitude to the people of India for the humanitarian help during the liberation war and now the mutual cooperation will reach all height. Indian demand for easy access to the seven sisters region via Bangladesh’s water, road and air will be eased and the those people in Bangladesh posing as ultra-pseudo nationalists must take a cue from Europe and Africa where the smooth frictionless border in those regions from one country to the other is epitomising their growth and mutual trade. I am positive that good sense shall prevail for not to oppose any such move. In the fight against the religious based violent extremism and radicalisation where both the countries are victims will be eradicated once for all with joint cooperation. The people of Bangladesh are eagerly waiting for an amicable water sharing agreement with India for the Teesta River. Another great aspiration of the peo-
many of which are widows’. Yasrab Shah, Muslim Hands Fundraising Director, says; ‘The Rohingya people fled for their lives nearly two years ago. They left with very little and it is imperative we do what we can to help them survive the impending monsoon season, which will wreak havoc and misery on an already beleaguered people. We urge donors to come forward to support our shelter, medical and educational projects to help the Rohingya survive in the world’s largest refugee camp’.
ple of Bangladesh; they are eyeing for the BIMSTEC to modernise the regional water of The Bay of Bengal; the biggest bay in world where Indian 5 states share coast line with Bangladesh. The relation in between the two countries will bring win-win gain for the both countries. It is really important that both the countries to have stronger ties to counter the Chinese debt trap for a smaller neighbour like Bangladesh. Which Bangladesh can be susceptible if they are not extra vigilant. Bangladesh also looking for assistance and to create international pressure from India to settle the Rohingya refugee crisis and India as one of the most trusted friends of Bangladesh will be able to be the interlocutor to facilitate repatriation of the refugees back to Myanmar. The bilateral relation in terms for foreign policy, trade, commerce and security during the tenure of Mr. Modi will grow from strength to strength. Bondage in the between the countries grow further.