The Indian High Commission handed relief material to Bangladesh, terming it 'Operation Insaniyat' (File)
An Indian Air Force plane today carried the first consignment of 53 tonnes of relief aid to Bangladesh for the Rohingya refugees that have crossed over from Rakhine state of Myanmar. The relief material consisted of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits and mosquito nets. The aircraft landed at Chittagong airport at 11 am where the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka will hand over the relief materials to Bangladeshi authorities for distribution.
The mission is called Operation Insaniyat - Humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh on account of influx of refugees. In a statement MEA said, 'India has always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh. India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Government of Bangladesh in this hour of need.'
At least 370,000 Rohingya have flooded into Bangladesh since August 25, when Myanmar's military responded to an insurgent attack with what it called 'clearance operations' to root out the rebels. Rohingyas have been arriving in Bangladesh by road, land, hills, jungle and rivers.
Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muazzem Ali said, 'Bangladesh is already dealing with the floods that ravaged the country. In addition, we are giving shelter to the Rohingyas but it is a temporary solution as our resources are strained. We urge the neighbouring countries to put pressure on Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas and resettle them'.
Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali had met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and discussed the issue of Rohingyas in detail.