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Over 31,500 Myanmar- Bangladesh refugees take refuge in Mizoram, Govt releases Rs 3.8 cr as relief

First Published: 23rd February, 2023 11:40 IST

The state government has released over Rs. 3.8 crore as relief for Myanmar nationals and another Rs. 30 lahks for asylum seekers from Bangladesh

More than 31,500 people from Myanmar and Bangladesh have taken shelter in Mizoram, an official said on Wednesday. The number of Myanmar nationals taking shelter in different parts of the state as on January 27 was 31,050. The Myanmar nationals mostly from Chin state fled to Mizoram due to a military coup in the neighboring country in February 2021. The Chin people from Myanmar and Kuki-Chin or Bawm people from Bangladesh, who took shelter in Mizoram, share ethnic ties with the Mizos.
541 Bangladeshi nationals are currently taking shelter in Lawngtlai district in the southern part of the state, the official said. The asylum seekers from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) came to the state following the military offensive against an ethnic insurgent group. Among 541 Bangladesh nationals, 53 people entered Lawngtlai district on February 17, he said. The Bangladeshi nationals are lodged in makeshift camps set up by NGOs and villagers in 8 villages in Lawngtlai district.
Apart from the government, NGOs and villagers provided food and other relief items to the Bangladeshi nationals, he said.
According to the official, at least 160 relief camps have been set up in 8 districts for Myanmar nationals. The state government has stopped providing food to the Myanmar people, who now live on their own, he said.
In a written reply to a question from opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) member Vanlalhlana, home minister Lalchamliana had recently informed the assembly that the state government has so far released over Rs. 3.8 crore as relief for Myanmar nationals and Rs. 30 lakh for asylum seekers from Bangladesh. The money was used for setting up temporary shelters and buying food, drinking water, medicine, clothing, blankets, and other basic needs, the home minister had said.

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