Rohingya child dies as IOM vehicle hits him

A Rohingya child has been killed after a car of International Organization for Migration (IOM) hit it inside the Rohingya camp in Ukhia ofCox's Bazar.

The accident occurred around 12:30 pm on Tuesday in the E/01 block of Ukhia Rohingya Camp-13. Tension spread throughout the camp over the incident.

According to local sources, an IOM-run vehicle inadvertently hit the four-year-old child Abu Waida while passing through the camp. He was seriously injured and died on the spot. The deceased Abu Waida is a resident of G/04 block of Camp-13. His father's name is Maulvi Abdullah and his mother's name is Hamida.

When news of the accident spread, angry Rohingyas gathered at the spot and vandalized the IOM vehicle.

Later, APBn and Ukhia police station members quickly reached the spot and brought the situation under control.

Officer-in-charge of Ukhia Police Station Md. Mujibur Rahman said that the driver of the vehicle fled immediately after the accident. Law enforcement agencies are working to arrest him. Stating that there is still tension in the camp, he said that intelligence surveillance has been strengthened and security measures have been increased to avoid any unpleasant situation.

Meanwhile, a shadow of grief has fallen on the family of the deceased child. The atmosphere in the camp has become heavy with the wailing of relatives. Locals say that such accidents can happen more if the speed of vehicles plying in the camp area is not controlled and security measures are not strengthened. Ayash Uddin, a resident of the camp, said that special measures are necessary to ensure the safety of children in this densely populated camp and strict rules and regulations need to be imposed on the movement of NGO-run vehicles.