The government has taken a set of decisions, including one to set up 14,000 additional shelter centres on some 2,000 acres of land near Kutupalong in Cox's Bazar for accommodating Rohingya people who have fled to Bangladesh in the face of persecution by the Myanmar military forces in Rakhine State.

Six displaced Rohingya families could be accommodated in each shelter, reports the UNB.

The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry will coordinate the matter with Alternative for Germany (AFD), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Risk Reduction for Resilient Cities (RRRC), deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), World Food Programme (WFP) and other agencies to construct these shelter centres within 10 days.

The decisions were taken at a special meeting on rehabilitation of the displaced Myanmar nationals and coordination of relief work held at the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday with PM's Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury in the chair.

PMO officials said the meeting was held to have a better coordination among the government agencies, development partners and INGOs in relief and rehabilitation work.

The meeting decided that the WFP will construct 14 makeshift warehouses near the new shelter centres to preserve and store the relief materials. The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry and the local administration will coordinate necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the warehouses.

It was decided that the Armed Forces Division will receive the relief materials to be arrived from abroad and they will transport those to the warehouses designated by the deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar. The law enforcement agencies will provide necessary security while receiving, transporting and storing the relief materials.

All relief goods from NGOs, different organisations and persons must be handed over to the DC and the district administration will make necessary arrangement for proper distribution of the relief goods as per convenience. NGOs must take permission from the NGO Affairs Bureau for the relief work.

The Department of Public Health and Engineering will immediately build 500 temporary sanitary latrines while the UNHCR 8,000 more. The Local Government Division will deploy sufficient number of their officials and staff in the area so that sanitation and water problem can be addressed effectively.

The Power Division will immediately make a proper assessment for supply of necessary electricity to the newly constructed shelter centres and the areas where the refugees are temporarily staying.

The meeting decided that the refugees must immediately be transferred to the newly built shelter/makeshift centres according to the food distribution block with the help of the law enforcement agencies.

The Directorate General of the Department of Passports and Immigration will expedite the registration of the new shelter seekers while the Department of Family Planning must immediately start working in the camp areas.

Besides, 20 additional medical camps will start work in the camp areas in collaboration with all other agencies. The EPI activities must also start. Special unit will be built for the lactating mothers while the Department of Social Services must enlist the orphans and make a plan and take necessary steps for their welfare.

The displaced Rohingya people from Myanmar in Bandarban must immediately be shifted to Ukhia camp areas. LGED and AFD will take necessary steps to repair and construct roads for better operation of the relief work.

Health Services Division and DG of the Directorate General of Health Services will provide sufficient cholera vaccines and oral saline. They should also be prepared to address any emergency medical need.

Apart from the high-level government officials, Robert D Watkins of UNRC in Bangladesh, Dipayan Bhattacharya of WFP, Peppi K Siddiq from IOM and Tayba Sharif from UNHCR in Bangladesh participated in the meeting.