Rohingya
Rohingyas to stage demo on Sunday
Rohingyas at various camps in Cox’s Bazar are going to stage a demonstration titled ‘Go Home’ on Sunday.
The demonstration will be staged to press home a total of 19 demands, including an end to killings at refugee camps and their repatriation to Myanmar.
The local police haven’t provided permission to stage the demonstration as of filing of this report.
The demonstration will be carried out in a bid to celebrate ‘World Refugee Day’ tomorrow. The last time a demonstration of this magnitude was staged was on August 25, 2019, under the leadership of slain Master Muhibullah.
Read: Rohingyas staging demonstrations, unwilling to go back
According to sources, tomorrow’s demonstration will also be organized by Arakan Rohingya Society Peace for Human Rights, an organization founded by Muhibullah.
The program will start at 10:00am. Rohingyas from five camps will gather at the football field of Balukhali Rohingya Camp-9 to participate in the programme.
UNB couldn’t contact Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissionar Shah Rezwan Hayat in this regard though after repeated attempts.
Additional Police Super (ASP) of Armed Police Battalion Unit-8 (8APBN) Kamran Hossain said that they’ve come to know that the Rohingyas are going to organize a demonstration demanding their quick repatriation.
“We’ll comment on this after knowing the details,” Kamran added.
Rohingya man shot dead in Cox’s Bazar
A Rohingya man was shot dead allegedly by miscreants at Ukhiya Balur Math camp in Cox’s Bazar early Thursday, said police.
The deceased was identified as Salimullah, a resident of the camp and a volunteer of the camp.
Also read: Bangladeshi man shot dead by Indian Khashias; BSF hands over body
A group of miscreants opened fire on Salimullah, leaving him injured, said Sheikh Mohammad Ali, officer-in-charge of Ukhia Police Station.
Later, he was taken to Sadar hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Also read: Bizman shot dead in Khulna, wife injured
Police recovered the body Thursday morning.
Eight Rohingya people held in Feni
Police have arrested eight Rohingya people from a hotel in Feni’s Mohipal area.
The arrestees are—Abdul Mannan, 20, son of Nur Ahammed, Abdus Shukkur, 18, son of Hamid Hasan, Md Jamal Hossain, 22, son of Abul Kalam, Shafi Alam, 25, son of Badi Alam, Mohammad Ilias, 30, son of Abu Sayeed, Enamul Haque, 21, son of Kabir Ahmed, Nabi Hossain, 14, son of Ali Hossain, and Nur Hossain, 18, son of Fazal Ahmed.
All the arrestees are from Kutupalong and Balukhali refugee camps in Ukhia upazila of Cox’s Bazar.
Officer In-charge (Investigation) of Feni Model Police Station Abdur Rahim said that the Rohingya men secretly arrived in Feni from their respective camps in Ukhia some three to four days ago.
“Upon receiving information, a police team raided Goldstar hotel on Friday and arrested the Rohingyas. A case has been filed against the arrestees,” said the OC.
A court sent the Rohingyas to Feni district jail.
“We suspect that the Rohingyas were planning to involve in drugs trading and carry out terrorist activities while staying at Goldstar Hotel,” said Md Nizam Uddin, OC of Feni Model Police Station.
Read: Rohingya teens arrested from airport area with over 6000 pcs Yaba
Myanmar situation continues to remain unsafe for civilians: Bangladesh
Bangladesh is concerned that the situation in Myanmar continues to remain unsafe for civilians, especially for the ethnic and religious minorities such as Rohingyas, Ambassador Rabab Fatima has said.
While referring to the precarious security situation in Myanmar which is causing a delay in the repatriation of the Rohingyas, she also expressed concern about the denial of access to the UN and other humanitarian agencies in the country.
Ambassador Fatima was speaking at the UN Security Council (UNSC) Open Debate Wednesday.
She said the protection of civilians (POC) is an important national priority for Bangladesh, and the country remains committed to all efforts to strengthen it.
Convened by the US delegation as the current president of the Council, the debate focused on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts.
It discussed possible practical measures that the UNSC can take in the context of denial of humanitarian access, and attacks against humanitarian workers, among others.
The Bangladesh ambassador said the protection of civilians remains a serious challenge in the context of ongoing conflicts, protracted humanitarian crises and growing forced displacement.
While humanitarian needs are soaring, access remains a major challenge.
Ambassador Fatima mentioned Bangladesh's commitment to the protection of civilians, and the role its peacekeepers play in fulfilling this mandate.
"Nearly 7,000 peacekeepers from Bangladesh are serving in some of the most challenging missions, providing security at civilian sites, ensuring unhindered humanitarian services, supporting delivery of health and social services, community engagement and empowerment of women and youths," she added.
However, the peacekeepers and the humanitarian workers are increasingly becoming targets of attacks, often fueled by misinformation and disinformation.
The ambassador suggested that the relevant UN entities develop effective communications strategies to combat this.
She also emphasised ensuring that the peacekeeping missions are adequately resourced and equipped to fulfil their POC mandates.
Ambassador Fatima also called for increased awareness of compliance with international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflicts.
She also stressed the importance of holding the perpetrators accountable for violations of international humanitarian law. "Targeting civilians, schools, hospitals, and humanitarian actors cannot be condoned under any pretext. These attacks must be investigated and accounted for."
Also read: FM urges UNHCR to expedite efforts at Rohingya repatriation to Myanmar
Possible security threats likely to complicate Rohingya crisis: Experts
The future of the Rohingya crisis, with the bleak possibility of Rohingya resettlement and the likely emergence of several security threats, might further complicate the situation, experts have said.
They said the Rohingya crisis, one of the greatest human catastrophes of the 21st century, is getting more complicated since the takeover by the Myanmar military junta.
The Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS)-Dhaka Tribune Roundtable "Revisiting the Rohingya Crisis: What Lies Ahead?" was held Sunday evening at a city hotel.
Several diplomats, scholars, security experts, and youth representatives from various disciplines joined the discussion.
Shafqat Munir, research fellow at BIPSS, highlighted the contemporary situation and noted that Bangladesh has to ramp up its approaches on all frontiers to resolve the issue, which is becoming more entrenched and prolonged.
READ: PM seeks more international support to ensure Rohingya repatriation
Asif Munier, a national expert on migration and displacement, emphasised the major dimension of the crisis.
He dissected the regional and global political dynamics and the underlying pragmatism and interest-driven approach behind it.
Asif highlighted the three categories of the Rohingya influx throughout the years.
He talked about the vulnerabilities that the Rohingya youths face in terms of being exposed to radicalisation and different violent militant outfits.
Air Vice Marshal Mahmud Hussain (retired), vice-chancellor of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University, illustrated the key thematic concepts, including the wider geopolitical ramifications of the issue and the reaction it will induce from various actors across the region and abroad.
He also highlighted how Bangladesh might want to consider reinventing its foreign policy approaches.
Mahmud then said: "Military powers are lenient if you speak in their language – military language. In Myanmar, the military is the state. We have to get the right states onboard."
He talked about the necessity to draw the attention of major players like the US and underline the importance of solving this issue to preserve and promote the Indo-Pacific strategy in the upcoming days.
Shafqat emphasised the necessity of a pragmatic yet humanitarian approach.
He also highlighted the necessity to develop Bangladesh's capability and ensure the strengthening of its institutions.
Bangladesh should develop an early warning mechanism to better understand situations like these, and take preemptive actions to either prevent or alleviate the consequences, Shafqat added.
2 Rohingyas nabbed by APBn in Ukhia
Members of Armed Police Battalion (APBn) on Sunday arrested two suspected Rohingya criminals from Kutupalong camp area of Ukhia in Cox's Bazar district.
The law enforcers also recovered one local made pistol, one 24-inch ramda (local variation on cleaver) and 495 pieces contraband yaba pills from their possession.
Based on secret information, a team of Kutupalong camp under the ApBn-14 battalion arrested the two armed Rohingya at around 5:30 pm, says Additional SP Mohammad Ziaul Haque of Airport Armed Police (AAP) here on Sunday evening.
The arrestees were identified according to a message received here In connection with the arrest of two armed Rohingya terrorists with a domestic pistol, a 24-inch Ramada and 495 pieces of Yaba tablets based on intelligence information.
One country made pistol, a 24 inch Ramda and 495 pieces of yaba tablets were recovered from their possessions. They were secretly conducting drug activities in the camp area, including conducting terrorist activities. A case is being filed in this regard with local police station, he said.
However, names of the two arrested armed Rohinghya nationals were not being disclosed immediately.
Also read: Rohingya man held with 1.06kg crystal meth in Cox’s Bazar
Rohingya repatriation: Bangladesh seeks more support from Singapore, ASEAN
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has sought more support from Singapore and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the early repatriation of Rohingya people from Bangladesh to their homeland Myanmar.
Masud made the call as Derek Loh, non-resident high commissioner of Singapore to Bangladesh, met him at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka Thursday.
The foreign secretary also exchanged greetings on the golden jubilee of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
He hoped that the multifaceted bilateral relations would grow further with expanded engagements in many areas of cooperation.
Masud also stressed kick-starting a formal negotiation process to sign a free trade agreement between the two countries.
Also read: Singapore to help Bangladesh to build ecosystem in e-commerce sector
Perpetrators must account for vicious crimes against Rohingya: UN
UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Wairimu Nderitu has said they must hold accountable those who perpetrated vicious crimes against the Rohingya."The Rohingya refugees that I engaged with expressed their wish to return home to Myanmar, but only when they can do so in a safe manner, with access to equal rights," she said highlighting the importance of holding accountable those who perpetrated crimes against the Rohingya.The UN under secretary general who recently visited Cox’s Bazar refugee camps said it is shocking that almost five years since the 2017 violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar, which resulted in over 7 lakh fleeing to Bangladesh, the risk of atrocity crimes, in particular genocide, facing this population in their home country remains unchanged.
Also read: Myanmar curriculum pilot reaches first 10,000 Rohingya children in Cox’s Bazar: UNICEFNderitu also met State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and other government officials during her visit.
Danish Crown Princess Mary to meet PM, visit Rohingya camps
Mary Elizabeth, the crown princess of Denmark, is scheduled to arrive here Monday on a three-day visit to hold a series of meetings in Dhaka and meet the Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar refugee camps.
The crown princess is the wife of Frederik, crown prince of Denmark. She will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Gonobhaban in the morning soon after she arrives in Dhaka, said an official.
Mary will hold a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at a city hotel in the afternoon.
The crown princess, 50, will attend a lunch hosted by the Danish ambassador in Dhaka at her residence.
She is scheduled to reach Cox's Bazar at around 5pm Monday and will join a briefing by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) Tuesday morning.
The princess will travel to Rohingya camps by car from Cox's Bazar town and observe soil erosion control and environmental restoration activities of DRC through tree plantation at Camp 5.
She will interact with 8-10 Rohingya beneficiaries in an open shed. The Danish crown princess will plant trees there.
Mary will also interact with the host community.
From Cox's Bazar, she will travel to Satkhira Wednesday morning and visit village Kultoli to meet climate-vulnerable people.
The crown princess will visit the multipurpose cyclone shelter in the nearby community, meet its management committee and learn about their functionality during a cyclone.
She will avail of a boat ride to the Sundarbans and interact with the forest officials during a 15-minute walk through the natural resource, discussing biodiversity and saltwater intrusion in the mangrove area.
The crown princess is scheduled to leave Dhaka for Istanbul Wednesday night.
Rohingya teens arrested from airport area with over 6000 pcs Yaba
Airport Armed Police (AAP) arrested two Rohingya teenagers along with 6,000 pieces of contraband Yaba pills from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area in the capital on Tuesday.
The arrestees were identified as Saddam Hussein, 15, son of Mohammad Selim, and Mohammad Amin, 14, son of Salam. They are residents of Rohingya Camp No. 24 in Teknaf.
Sources at the AAP said during regular patrol duty on Tuesday afternoon, a patrol team of the AAP became suspicious of the movements of Saddam and Amin, as they walked around in front of a restaurant at the airport.
When they were stopped and interrogated, the duo started talking randomly. With the AAP team’s suspicions deepening, Saddam and Amin were taken to the AAP Office and searched.
During the search, around 6,070 Yaba pills were recovered from their possession, said Additional Superintendent of Police (SP) of the AAP (Media) Md Ziaul Hoque.
READ: Coast Guard seizes 105,000 pcs of Yaba during raid around St Martin
During interrogation, they identified themselves as Rohingya. They gave their fathers’ names and camp addresses.
The detainees also said that they were supposed to hand over the entire consignment of Yaba to a person staying in Dhaka.
A case in this connection is being prepared in accordance with law, Additional SPm Ziaul Hoque added.