LANDSLIDES IN BANGLADESH KILL AT LEAST 13, INCLUDING TEN CHILDREN

At least five children died when a landslide swept through an Islamic school at a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar district, southeastern Bangladesh, according to Dollar Tripura, local chief of the Fire Service and Civil Defence. The landslide was caused by monsoon rains and struck whilst children were attending classes. Rescue workers recovered five injured children from the site, though Tripura stated that more people were suspected to be buried beneath the debris. The rescue operation continued into Wednesday evening. This incident occurred three days after separate landslides killed at least eight people, including five children, at Rohingya camps in the same area.

The Cox's Bazar camp is home to more than 1 million Rohingya refugees living in makeshift shelters. Bangladesh's weather office in Dhaka forecast additional rainfall in the coming days, raising concerns about further instability in hilly terrain. Authorities stated they were relocating refugees from at-risk areas, with more than 1,000 people already moved to safer locations. Officials reported that refugees were often reluctant to leave their homes despite warnings of danger from landslides and flooding.

Bangladesh has requested international assistance for years to facilitate the repatriation of refugees to Myanmar, though the process remains stalled. The recurring monsoon-related disasters in the camps highlight the vulnerability of the refugee population's living conditions and the constraints facing aid and relief operations in the region.