Cox’s Bazar Correspondent :
Rohingya refugees interviewed by representatives from the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission (RRRC) say they will not go back to Myanmar until their safety can be guaranteed and they have equal rights.
Around 100 appeared for interviews at Shalbagan camp in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf on Tuesday and gave their opinions about returning to Myanmar.
During the interviews, Rohingyas were unwilling to return without guarantees of peace, citizenship and equal rights, official sources said.
Bangladesh and Myanmar recently agreed to begin repatriating Rohingya refugees in the last week of this month and about 3,540 Rohingyas enlisted for the repatriation.
Around 700,000 Rohingyas crossed the border into Bangladesh after the Myanmar security forces launched a crackdown in Rakhine State in August of 2017.
They took shelter at the makeshift camps in Cox’s Bazar, putting huge burden on local community and the government of Bangladesh.
United Nations said around 1,185,557 Rohingyas, who are mostly women and children, fled persecution in Myanmar at various periods and are living in 30 refugee camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf of Bangladesh.
Myanmar signed an agreement with Bangladesh in January of 2018 to take the Rohingyas back following international pressure.
