ADP Approves $41.4m Grant for Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday approved a $41.4 million grant to help improve infrastructure and manage the basic needs of displaced persons from Myanmar sheltered in Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh.

The grant forms the second phase of ADB’s ongoing Emergency Assistance Project, a $100 million grant approved in 2018, said a press release.

“The new assistance will strengthen the resilience against Covid-19 and any future pandemic by expanding health facilities and improving water supply and sanitation,” said ADB Country Director for Bangladesh Edimon Ginting.

“Disaster shelter centers, health facilities, improved water supply and sanitation, and better waste management that will be provided with ADB assistance, will reduce disaster risks and serve basic human needs of the camp population until their repatriation.”

The grant approved will build 200 water and sanitation facilities and three solid waste management facilities, and establish a piped water supply system at Ukhiya, the release said.

It will, among others, upgrade four health care facilities for severe acute respiratory infection, expand six primary health care and diagnostic centers in Teknaf, improve skills of health care workers in Cox’s Bazar district, and construct a multipurpose disaster-resilient isolation center to help with the Covid-19 response, it added.

In addition to the new grant assistance, ADB also approved a $30 million concessional loan to rehabilitate a 30.76km section of National Highway-1 to improve the transportation of relief and essential goods between Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar.

The improved road will facilitate economic activities and income generation in the region, benefiting both the displaced persons from Myanmar sheltered in the camps and the host community.