Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) distributes food among 5,000 refugee families in Bangladesh 

COX’S BAZAR

Turkey’s state-run aid agency distributes food daily to 25,000 Rohingya Muslims, who fled a security violence in Myanmar and took refuge in Bangladesh, an official said.

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has been distributing food among the refugees near Cox’s Bazar for three months in accordance with the instructions of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the agency’s purchasing officials told Anadolu Agency.

TIKA teams have been cooking meal daily with using 1 ton of beef or chicken, together with 1 ton of rice, Karaset said, adding that they were delivering fresh meals to 5,000 families, or around 25,000 people.

“A research conducted here shows that children staying at our camp are healthier. This makes us very happy,” he said.

TIKA official said that hygiene and use of fresh materials are very important for them.

“We are always paying attention to use fresh meat and fresh vegetables,” he said adding that Turkish chefs are taking care of the cooking process.

Mohamed Miya, a Rohingya refugee who took refuge in Bangladesh three months ago, expressed his gratitude over the food delivery.

“We are eating food that TIKA is delivering to us every day,” he said. “God bless Turkey. We thank Turkish people.”

Meeting needs

The aid body delivers food at 10.30 a.m. local time (0430GMT) which meets daily needs of the families, the agency said.

Food distribution is made systematically under control of Bangladeshi soldiers and Rohingya Muslims are employed for distribution process and setting up distribution points.

All the materials including species used in cooking are provided from Bangladesh, which contributes to the economy of the region.

More than 620,000 refugees have fled the region since Aug. 25 in the wake of a brutal military crackdown.

During the crackdown, security forces and Buddhist mobs have killed men, women, and children looted homes, and torched Rohingya villages, according to refugee accounts.

Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

Following a similar military crackdown launched in October last year, the UN documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings and disappearances committed by security personnel.

UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.