Staff Reporter :
Several thousand Rohingya refugees are waiting at many points of the no man’s land area bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Setting up temporary shelter in the no man’s land area adjacent to the border point of Naikhyangchari upazila of Bandarban, they made several attempts to cross the border.
Most are women, children, or the elderly, and there are reports of wounded people among them.
According to our correspondent, they were seen requesting the members of Border Guard Bangladesh for collecting drinking water, food and medicines.
The BGB members allowed them to collect drinking water, food and medicines but asked them to return after collecting the essentials.
After collecting drinking water food and medicines, they returned to their makeshift shelters adjacent to the Tombru canal.
Several thousand were reported to remain in locations along the Myanmar side of the border. On Bangladesh side of the border, some people are in cordoned-off areas near the border, and others are mainly in Kutupalong area.
The Rohingyas entered Bangladesh through several points along the Teknaf border following the fresh violence in Rakhine State in Myanmar.
Meanwhile, two more Rohingyas, who sustained bullet wounds by security forces in Rakhine State of Myanmar, were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on Tuesday.
With the two, the total number of injured Rohingyas who were admitted to CMCH reached 18 in the last four days. Of them, Mohammad Musa, 22, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday, said sub-inspector Jahirul Islam, in-charge of CMCH police outpost.
The injured are – Khaleda Akhter, 17, daughter of Nurul Islam, hailing from Tumbru area of Mongdu, and Mamunur Rashid, 19, son of Abdur Rashid, hailing from Nemai area of Dangsa.
The injured were undergoing treatment at Ward No. 26 of CMCH, added the SI.
Meanwhile, UNHCR, the refugee agency of the United Nations, has urged Bangladesh to open borders for people fleeing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
“UNHCR believes it’s of the utmost importance that it (Bangladesh) continues to allow Rohingyas fleeing violence to seek safety there,” said UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards on Tuesday at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
The UN agency also called on the international community to support Bangladesh in doing so, with all necessary aid and other help.
As of Sunday it was estimated that some 5,200 people have entered Bangladesh from Myanmar since Thursday, according to UNHCR statement.
The UNHCR mentioned that Bangladesh had hosted refugees from Myanmar for decades.
In light of the dramatic worsening since Friday of the situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, the UNHCR has communicated to the government of Bangladesh its readiness to support Bangladesh in helping refugees fleeing across the border.
Aid efforts involving the Bangladeshi authorities, local communities, UNHCR partners and NGOs have been under way, including arrangements of food, water and medical help to the new arrivals.
“UNHCR is grateful to the Bangladeshi authorities for the support being provided. Rapid needs assessments are being planned, however with the precarious situation inside Myanmar we are concerned that numbers of people needing help may rise further over the coming days,” Edwards said. The spokesperson also said UNHCR is aware of several reported instances of people being prevented from entering Bangladesh.
“This poses a very grave risk to the individuals affected.”
In Myanmar’s Rakhine State access to populations in need of help is severely restricted.
“We’re appealing to the Myanmar authorities to do everything possible to facilitate humanitarian help and ensure the safety of our staff,” Edwards said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has also urged the Bangladesh authorities to continue to allow the Rohingyas fleeing violence to seek safety in Bangladesh.
The UN chief made the appeal recognising that Bangladesh has hosted generously refugees from Myanmar for decades. “The Secretary General is deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmar’s Rakhine State,” Spokesman for the Secretary General Stephane Dujarric quoted the UN boss as saying. “The United Nations stands ready to provide all the necessary support to both Myanmar and Bangladesh in that regard,” he said.
The Secretary General fully supports the recommendations of the report by Kofi Annan and urges the government to effectively implement them, he said.
This latest round of violence comes after the attacks on Myanmar security forces on August 25.
