Rohingyas stage protest to highlight poor living conditions on Bangladesh island

As many as four thousand Rohingya refugees, on May 31, staged “unruly” protests to highlight poor living conditions on an island in Banglesh where y were relocated from vast camps on mainland. As many as 18,000 refugees have been, since December, shifted to Bhashan Char, a cyclone-prone silt island located 60 kilometres from country’s coast. Battered by a constant influx, authorities aim to relocate a total of 100,00 from clamped Cox Bazar region under ir Ashrayan 3 project.

According to local police, protest coincided with an inspection visit by United Nation High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). As many as 4,000 stateless protesters threw bricks and chanted calls to be shifted elsewhere. While Dhaka has asserted that Bhashan Char is safe and better than Cox Bazar, refugees have reportedly claimed that y were tortured and beaten to relocate against ir will. 

In 2017, a military crackdown led to over 7,30,000 ethnic Rohingya people crossing border to enter Banglesh, Later, investigations by United Nations discovered that crackdown was me with “genocidal intent”. Since n, refugees in camps are increasing, creating border troubles for Myanmar, Banglesh and India. 

'Least wanted minorities' 

Rohingya people have been described as "one of world's least wanted minorities" and "some of world's most persecuted people" in world. In February 1992, Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release, "In actual fact, although re are (135) national races living in Myanmar today, so-called Rohingya people is not one of m. As per UNHCR, over 742,000 refugees have fled to Banglesh since 25 August 2017.''

" Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar. latest exodus began on 25 August 2017, when violence broke out in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, driving more than 742,000 to seek refuge in Banglesh. Most arrived in first three months of crisis. An estimated 12,000 reached Banglesh during first half of 2018. vast majority reaching Banglesh are women and children, and more than 40 per cent are under age 12. Many ors are elderly people requiring ditional aid and protection", UNHCR described crisis in a statement. 

Image: AP