ADB approves $100m grant to help displaced people in Bangladesh

MANILA - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Friday that it has approved grant assistance of $100 million to help displaced people sheltered in 32 camps in Bangladesh.

The ADB said the grant is the first of an envisaged package totaling $200 million to help Bangladesh develop basic infrastructure and services for displaced persons.

Since late August 2017, a large number of people have crossed the border from Rakhine State, Myanmar, into Cox's Bazar at the southeast tip of Bangladesh.

The ADB said the displaced persons are living in 32 camps spread over the district. "Providing food, shelter, health, sanitation, water, and other essential services in the camps while fending off disease is a daily challenge. If unaddressed, conditions are feared to worsen dramatically," the ADB said.

The ADB grant will support the displaced people sheltered in camps in the Ukhia and Teknaf subdistricts of Cox's Bazar focusing on water supply and sanitation, disaster risk management, energy, and roads.

The project will rehabilitate roads within the camps to connect essential food distribution and storage centers, hospitals, education facilities, and provide emergency access, the bank said, adding it will also resurface the road from Cox's Bazar to Teknaf and other critical sections.

It will also address the need of water, power and strengthen risk management of natural disasters.

The project has been developed and will be implemented in coordination with United Nations agencies, the World Bank, and other donors that are giving humanitarian relief such as food, water, medical aid, and temporary shelter, the ADB said.