More Rohingyas trying to enter Bangladesh

More Rohingyas made attempts at entering Bangladesh by crossing the River Naff during the last few months as many of their family members, who fled violence against them in Rakhine state by Myanmar security forces, have taken shelter in Cox’s Bazar camps.

While the Border Guard Bangladesh members are fighting fresh influx, interviews of the Rohingays have resumed at Salbagan refugee camp of Teknaf police eyeing repatriation.

BGB officials claimed that they recently foiled fresh attempts by ‘separated members’ of Rohingya families living in camps in Teknaf to enter Bangladesh.

BGB, during their regular patrol on early Saturday morning blocked entry by six Rohingyas, including three women and three children.

Last week, Teknaf BGB members returned 22 Rohingyas while they were trying to enter Bangladesh through the River Naff on  small locally-made wooden boats at St Martin’s Island point, Sahaporirdip point and Hinllha point of Teknaf Police Station.

Lieutenant Colonel Faisal Hasan Khan, Commanding Officer, 2 BGB Battalion in Teknaf, told New Age that some six Rohingyas were trying to enter Bangladesh from Kutubdiapara ghat after crossing the River Naff on Friday midnight.

The BGB team led by Nayek Sobedar Mohammad Saha Alam and his fellows foiled their attempt, he added.

Meanwhile, some 16 newly-arrived Rohingyas took shelter at the UNHCR transit centre at Gungdum in Nikkongchari, adjacent to Kutupalong mega camp on Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf road as they had arrived earlier dodging BGB members’ eyes.

According to the UNHCR, a total of 11,85,557 Rohingyas are living at 34 refugee camps under Ukhiya and Teknaf.

Meanwhile, Rohingya families are being interviewed by the United Nation High Commission for Refugees.

On Sunday, a total of listed 25 families were interviewed by UNHCR as the process resumed on Thursday after over two weeks, Khalid Mahamud, camp in-charge, Shalbagan refugees camp under Teknaf Police Station, UNHCR officials confirmed.

The process resumed on last Thursday after the second effort for repatriation failed on August 22 and 33 families of Rohingya refugees were interviewed on the day.

A total of 339 families were interviewed by UNHCR and GOB officials on August 20, 21 and 22. Nobody agreed to return to their homeland Rakhine State in Myanmar without citizenship.

Myanmar government had already cleared some 3,450 Rohingya refugees for repatriation through verification.

The interview process was suspended on August 23 following the murder of a local leader of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League, Omar Farook, allegedly by some Rohingya miscreants on the night of August 22.

Afterwards, four Rohingya refugees —suspected killers of the Jubo Legaue leader — were killed in ‘gunfights’ with Teknaf police, according to police sources. Earlier, Teknaf police had arrested them from the camps.

Around 11 lakh Rohingyas, fleeing violence against them in Rakhine by Myanmar security forces, have taken shelter in Cox’s Bazar camps.

The fresh influx of Rohingyas began on August 25, 2017 as Myanmar security forces escalated violence against the ethnic minority group in Rakhine State.

Reference: http://www.newagebd.net/article/84038/more-rohingyas-trying-to-enter-bangladesh