BRADFORD humanitarian volunteer Nazim Ali has returned from a week-long aid trip to the Bangladesh and Myanmar border to provide help to Rohingya refugees.

On the trip, Mr Ali, 37, helped to provide food parcels to some of the 650,000 refugees who have fled persecution in Myanmar and currently living in makeshift refugee camps.

Working on behalf of West Yorkshire-based charity SKT Welfare, Mr Ali, from Manningham, travelled as part of a 13-strong team to Bangladesh and distributed more than 12,000 food parcels to several refugee camps along the border region.

He also provided and served meals to refugee children, many of whom are orphans.

Working alongside the Bangladeshi Army which runs the camps, the SKT team visited the camps most in need, and has shared some of the stories of horror he was told while on the trip.

He said: “These people have barely survived with their lives and lost their family members not to mention homes and sustained horrific injuries.

“Thousands more have been killed. One cannot comprehend the horrors they have witnessed.

“I have watched on in horror at the plight of the Rohingya refugees and felt I needed to make my contribution.

“On many occasions we ran out of food parcels due to the sheer numbers that needed aid.

“At one camp an elderly Rohingya lady, most likely in her 70s or 80s collapsed in the heat whilst queuing for food parcels.

“We attended to her, took her into the shade and gave her food. She was malnourished and very weak - a distressing sight for us to witness.

“We were informed by several Rohingya refugee women first hand horrifying accounts.

“Many informed us their husbands were murdered in Myanmar whilst trying to flee, their children drowned whilst trying to flee, some had injuries sustained from gunshots and others were pregnant as a result of being raped.

“It was truly heart-breaking and beyond words listening to their testimonies.”

More than £100,000 was raised by SKT Welfare for the trip, with Mr Ali, whose day job is as a careers advisor, raising £14,500 himself.

Majid Butt, chief executive of SKT Welfare, added: "I am grateful to the team of volunteers from the UK who have selflessly raised over £100,000 and delivered in person much needed aid to Rohingya refugees that will benefit over 80,000 people.”

This trip to Bangladesh is the latest humanitarian mission carried out by Mr Ali, who over the past 12 years has raised more than £137,000 for charity.

The 35lb food parcels provided enough food to feed a family for two to four weeks.