Rohingya refugees walk on the muddy path after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Teknaf, Bangladesh, September 3, 2017. — Reuters photo
At least 1,23,000 Rohingyas have so far crossed into Bangladesh from Myanmar, fleeing persecution in their homeland Rakhine state since the eruption of the latest spell of violence on August 25, UN refugee agency UNHCR estimated on Tuesday.
UNHCR Bangladesh spokesman Joseph Tripura told New Age on Tuesday that different humanitarian agencies’ cumulative estimations showed that at least 1,23,000 Myanmar citizen had entered Bangladesh after the fresh violence erupted in Rakhine state.
Joseph said that many of these Myanmar citizens, including children, women and elderly people, were suffering from food, shelter and medicine crisis.
‘So far we have no estimation of Myanmar citizens stranded along Bangladesh border,’ Joseph Tripura said.
The number of Rohingyas fleeing to Bangladesh to save life crossed one lakh on Monday and thousands remained stranded along the border as violence, erupted on August 25, in Rakhine state in Myanmar escalated.
Escalation of violence forced aid groups in Myanmar to suspend their humanitarian operations from Saturday amid United Nations’ call for restraint and calm in Rakhine state, cautioning that the situation might otherwise lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.
Source: New Age
