Staff Reporter :
Police on Saturday asked the Rohingyas to stay in their respective refugee camps till their return to their country in a bid to prevent their spread out across the country.
“Rohingyas, who have fled since the latest bout of violence erupted in Myanmar northern Rakhine state on August 25, have been asked to stay and move in and around the camps fixed for them in Cox’s Bazar district until their return,” police headquarters in a release on Saturday said.
The refugees even would not be allowed to take shelter in the houses of their relatives inside Bangladesh territory.
Besides, twenty-seven police check-posts will be set up in Chittagong division to prevent the spread of Rohingyas across the country.
As part of the police initiative, movement of the Rohingyas will be restricted within the camp in Cox’s Bazar as measures for their accommodation, food and medical services have already been arranged in the camp.
Police headquarters on Saturday issued a set of advice in this regard for the local people too.
Those include not renting out their houses to Rohingyas and informing the local administration soon after they see the presence of refugees in their locality, said the official release.
Police requested country’s people not to give shelter or rent their house to the Rohingyas in a bid to prevent the spread of refugees across the country.
Besides, drivers and transport workers of road, rail and waterways have also been requested not carry the Rohingyas.
“The Rohingyas have also been barred from travelling outside the camps and using road, rail or marine mass transportation,” the release added.
The police also requested the people to help as it is impossible for the law enforcers alone to stop the Rohingyas from spreading out across the country.
“We’re taking necessary measures so that Rohingyas refugees cannot spread all over the country,” Deputy Inspector of General of Police (Chittagong range) SM Moniruzzaman on Saturday said during a meeting with Puja Udjapan Committee at his office.
Twenty-seven police check-posts will be set up at different places of the division, including Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachhari, to halt their spread, he said.
They have detained more than 100 Rohingyas who fled to different areas in Hathazari, Banskhali and Sitakunda upazilas, he said. The detained Rohingyas will be sent to a temporary shelter at Balukhali in Ukhia upazila.
Earlier, police headquarters on September 10 issued an order on superintendents of police (SPs) in three districts – Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban and Chittagong to intensify intelligence surveillance on road, water and airways so that the Rohingyas refugees cannot move from Cox’s Bazar to other parts of the country.
Law enforcers have also been asked to update the list of the newly arrival refugees and remain alert to ensure that no Rohingya woman falls a victim to sexual harassment and none of them get involved in smuggling of firearms and drugs or any other criminal activities.
The police headquarters has also instructed to make necessary security arrangements in and around the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar.
