UNSC delegation arrives in Cox's Bazar

A delegation of United Nations Security Council has arrived in Bangladesh to see the plight of the Rohingyas from Myanmar now living in makeshift camps in Cox's Bazar.

The 15-member team reached the south-eastern district at 4pm on a direct flight from Kuwait, reports bdnews24.com.

Cox's Bazar's Deputy Commissioner Md Kamal Hossain said the UNSC team will visit the camp on the no man’s land along the border with Myanmar at Konapara in Bandarban’s Naikkhyanchharhi on Sunday.

They would also visit the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhiya, he said.

The delegation, accompanied by 25 other officials, is staying in a hotel in Ukhiya, the deputy commissioner said.  

This is the first time a UN Security Council team is visiting Bangladesh after the 'fastest growing refugee crisis of the time' in the world.

The crisis was started on August 25 last year when Myanmar launched an operation described by the UN and the Western nations as ‘ethnic cleansing’ against the Rohingyas in Rakhine State.

Weeks after the latest exodus of over 700,000 Rohingyas started last year, the Security Council "expressed concern about reports of excessive violence during the security operations.

The UNSC called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians”.