A number of sub-projects funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve water and sanitation facilities, disaster risk management, energy supplies and the road network at the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar were handed over to the authorities concerned on Friday.
The development work will benefit over 600,000 Rohingya people living in different camps of Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas in the district along with the host community.
The subprojects were completed by partner organisations as part of the components of the US$ 100 million ‘Emergency Assistance Project’ of the ADB.
ADB Country Director Manmohan Parkash handed over the facilities, which are ready for use, to Local Government Division (LGD) Senior Secretary SM Ghulam Farooque.
World Food Program (WFP) Country Director Richard Ragan, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) Chief Engineer Md Abul Kalam Azad and representatives of different UN agencies and government departments were also present on the occasion.
On behalf of Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam, the LGD senior secretary inaugurated the subprojects that include 100 community bathing facilities, one piped water supply system and 200 lightning arrestors.
He also inaugurated the groundbreaking of seven food distribution centres and 10 cyclone shelters in and around the Cox’s Bazar camps.
Inaugurating the facilities, Mr Farooque appreciated ADB’s grant assistance and prompt implementation of the project.
He also urged the project implementation agencies to maintain proper quality of work so that both Rohingya and local people of Cox’s Bazar are benefitted.
After handover of the subprojects, the ADB Country Director said, “I am happy to see the rapid and impressive implementation progress of the project in less than one year after its approval.”
“The inauguration of subprojects reflects high-level government commitment to implementing the whole project in the camps,” Mr Parkash added.
After a request from the Bangladesh government, the ADB approved a grant of $100 million in July 2018 as the first phase of a total possible support of $200 million to develop basic infrastructure and services for the displaced people in the camps and host community in Cox’s Bazar.
The grant project is focusing on water supply and sanitation, disaster risk management, energy, and roads in and around the camps. It is being implemented in close coordination with several development partners, the ADB high official said.
Under the water supply and sanitation component ($35 million) 40 mini piped water supply systems, 500 community bathing facilities, seven emergency mobile water carriers, four drilling rigs for installation of production wells, three surface water treatment plants, three integrated waste management systems will be developed, apart from procurement of 30 waste management vehicles.
Around 5.0 km hill-slope protection, 15 km storm water drainage, 10 multipurpose cyclone shelters and seven food distribution centres will be constructed under the $30 million disaster risk management component.
Under the energy component ($8 million) 2,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) street lights, 50 solar PV nano-grid systems, 200 lightning arresters, 33/11 KV and 10 MVA sub-stations, 50 km 11 KV distribution line, 2,000 new mini-grid connected street lights and 2,000 new standalone solar LED lights will be installed.
Under the road component ($27 million), a 50km road from Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf will be developed, 30km internal and rural roads will be constructed, and 30 km access and link roads will be developed.
The first phase of the project is costing a total of $120 million to be spent over a period of about two and a half years. Apart from ADB’s $100 million grant assistance, the Bangladesh government is providing $20 million.
More than 745,000 Rohingya people including over 400,000 children have fled Myanmar’s Rakhine State to Bangladesh since August 2017, escaping violence in Myanmar. Bangladesh is currently hosting over 1.10 million Rohingya people.
