Operation Insaniyat was launched by India, on Thursday, to provide humanitarian aid to Bangladesh, which is handling a large number of Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar.

The first consignment of the relief material is set to be delivered to Chittagong today. The shipment includes rice, pulses, sugar, salt cooking oil, tea, ready-to-eat noodles, biscuits and mosquito nets.

“India has always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh. India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Government of Bangladesh in this hour of need,” said a statement from the external affairs ministry.

According to UN estimates, more than 379,000 Rohingya Muslims have escaped the fresh round of violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state and entered Bangladesh since August 25.

Media reports claim the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state.

The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority in a Buddhist-dominated nation. They allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists reacted with a ruthless campaign against them, according to the reports.

Earlier, Bangladesh had said that the recent inflow of Rohingya refugees is an added burden for the country, which has accommodated around 400,000 Myanmar nationals who fled their country in the past because of communal violence and frequent military operations.

The statement comes after the Indian government was deplored by the United Nations for planning to deport 40,000 Rohingyas who have been residing in India. Approximately 25,000 to 35,000 protesters, from multiple organisations took to the streets of Kolkata to protest against the genocide in Myanmar on Monday, September 11, 2017.