Mobile internet ban hits COVID-19 relief efforts in Rohingya camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar

Six COVID-19 positive cases in the congested Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar this week has prompted an alert by international aid agencies with their emergency response impacted by the restriction on mobile internet due to "security reasons."

"There are serious concerns about the potentially severe impact of coronavirus in the densely populated refugee settlements sheltering some 860,000 Rohingya refugees. Another 400,000 Bangladeshis live in the surrounding host communities. These populations are considered to be among the most at risk globally in this pandemic. No effort must be spared if higher fatality rates are to be avoided in overcrowded sites with limited health and water and sanitation infrastructure," Andrej Mahecic, spokesperson of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement emailed to DH.

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The first Rohingya refugee tested COVID-19 positive in the Kutapalong refugee settlement in Cox's Bazar following which a local Bangladeshi resident also tested positive. Five more refugees also tested positive subsequently, prompting the UNHRC and other aid agencies step up efforts to prevent further spread of the deadly virus that has killed over three lakh people across the globe so far.

The Rohingyas hail from the Rakhine state of Myanmar, which has witnessed ethnic clashes between Buddhists and Rohingyas since 1997. Thousands of Rohingyas fled Rakhine and crossed the border to neighbouring Bangladesh for shelter.

"The humanitarian community is taking all preventive and precautionary measures to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 for the people we serve as well as our own teams, while also ensuring that critical activities continue in the camps, minimizing the staff footprint in the camps to the extent possible. Infection prevention and control training has been provuded to staff in health facilities emphasizing measures to be taken to control COVID-19," Louise Donovan, communication officer of UNHCR stationed in Cox's Bazar told DH over email on Wednesday.

She, however, said the restriction on mobile internet by Bangaldesh government since September 2019 for "security reasons" was impacting their response to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the refugee camps.

"Communication is key to the timely and effective management of this situation and so the restriction on mobile data communications in the refugee camps should be lifted. Life-saving health interventions require rapid and effective communication. Humanitarian partners continue to advocate for restoration of internet connectivity within the camps, to ensure that all refugees have adequate access to information, and to enable communication between partners," Donovan said.

The aid agencies, however, are using radio spots, video, posters, and messages, in Rohingya, Burmese and Bengali languages, passed by Imams and other community leaders and volunteers explaining how the virus spreads, how people can protect themselves and their families, symptoms and care-seeking " she said.

The spread of COVID-19 in the Rohingya camps could increase the worry of Northeast Indian states as many refugees have been found crossing the borders with Tripura and Assam.