Rohingya people walk towards the makeshift shelter near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, after being restricted by the members of Border Guards Bangladesh, to further enter the Bangladesh side, in Cox’s Bazar August 28, 2017. — Reuters photo
More than18,000 Rohingyas intruded into Bangladesh afresh in this week after escalation of violence in Myanmar, said Sanjukta Sahany, head of the International Organisation for Migration office at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, said on Wednesday.
They took refuge at different registered and unregistered camps (in Cox’s Bazar) as well as houses of their relatives, she said.
Besides, several thousand Rohingyas were still waiting at the zero line of the border areas for trespassing on Bangladesh land, she said at a press conference at IOM’s Cox’s Bazar office.
They have been suffering from food and shelter crises, Sanjukta added.
Rohingyas fleeing to Bangladesh from continued violence in Myanmar face the growing danger of sickness and attempts by the Border Guard Bangladesh to send them back, despite a UN call to Bangladesh to allow them to seek shelter.
The United Nations on Tuesday urged Bangladesh to open its border for Rohingyas while Bangladesh stressed the need for setting up of safe zones for the ethnic minority people in Rakhine State under UN supervision.
International community, including the United Nations, urged the Myanmar government to effectively implement recommendations made by a commission led by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan for sustainable solution to the crisis.
The top UN human rights official, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, called on Myanmar to ensure its security forces refrained from using disproportionate force, adding that the political leadership had a duty to protect all civilians ‘without discrimination,’ reported Reuters.
At least 109 people were killed in violence erupted on August 25 when Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army allegedly attacked at least two dozen police posts, checkpoints and one military base in three townships in northern Rakhine State and the Burma Army launched ‘clearance operations’.
Source: New Age
