Nearly 1,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees, who attempted fleeing from Myanmar to Bangladesh in the wake of fresh tensions that erupted in Rakhine, were stopped by the Bangladeshi security officials at the border, reported Reuters. At least 71 people, including 12 security force personnel, have died in the attacks that began on Friday, BBC reported. More than 20 posts were targeted by the militants, the Myanmar government said.
The Rohingya refugees were stranded at the Naf river that separates Myanmar and Bangladesh, deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazar district Mohammad Ali Hossain told Reuters. “We have a zero tolerance policy – no one will be allowed,” Hossain said.
Bangladesh has a significant population of Rohingya refugees, and 87,000 have arrived since October.
Myanmar treats Rohingyas as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and does not acknowledge their rights as an official ethnic group. The community has been subjected to violence by the Buddhist majority and the Army in Myanmar. Hundreds have died starving on boats trying to flee the country, while many have settled in and around Jammu and Kashmir. Myanmar’s de-facto leader and Nobel Peace Prize-winning laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticised for failing to stand up for more than 1 million stateless Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine.
Hundreds have died starving on boats trying to flee the country, while many have settled in and around Jammu and Kashmir in India. On August 18, the National Human Rights Commission had issued a notice to India’s Home Affairs Ministry over its decision to deport Rohingya Muslim refugees to Myanmar.
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