COX’S BAZAR: Hindu refugees living in a camp in Cox's Bazar, who fled to Bangladesh since August 2017 to escape the Myanmar military’s crimes against humanity, are eager to return to Myanmar unconditionally only if security ensured.
They say, “We have no dispute with the Myanmar government. Only if we are not tortured by terrorists anymore, we will return to Myanmar.”
Currently 470 refugees of 113 Hindu families are living in Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar.
Last Tuesday (September 10), Banglanews correspondent met Parimal Dhar after entering into a Hindu refugee camp at Kutupalang in Ukhia. The blind man was walking inside the camp.
Parimal told Banglanews that his home was in the Char Mile area at Maungdaw in Akyab (now known as Sittwe) of Myanmar. After being tortured there, Parimal along with millions of Rohingya fled to Bangladesh along with families. But within 6 months of coming here, he has suffered from a heart attack, and now one side of his body has become quite unconscious.
But he is not getting proper treatment here, he alleged.
He said that since coming I have been trying to go back Myanmar; but I can't go. Here I am not well. I am very troubled with seven children. Please arrange for me to return to Myanmar.
Shukh Shil, 32, president of the Hindu refugee camp adjacent to Ukhia's Kutupalang Hindu para in Cox's Bazar, told Banglanews that 13 out of 126 Hindu families had returned to Myanmar. At present, 470 Hindu refugees of 113 families are living here. They all want to leave Bangladesh.
Mintu added that everyone who lives in the camp is given a card at Tk 770 every month by the WFP (United Nations World Food Program). But can a person run life with this money? Other camps have different facilities, but those are not here.
'Here we are not well. If we return to Myanmar, we can work and eat,” Mintu said.
One Hindu refugee, who did not want to be named, told Banglanews, "We have to go to Kutupalang market for different needs." There, some Rohingyas threaten us citing that we should not leave Bangladesh without their words.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Md Iqbal Hossain told Banglanews that security measures have been strengthened in all the camps, including Hindu camps. Surveillance has been increased so that the Rohingyas cannot freely come out of camps.
BDST: 1432 HRS, SEP 12, 2019
RS/SMS
