Mohammad Jashim Uddin :
What is going in our neighbouring country Myanmar is totally inhuman, brutal, barbarous, uncivilized, and satanic activities. We are confused whether we live in a civilized world as we fail to save the Rohingyas, even we forget to rise our voice against the heinous task of the so-called democratic Myanmar government. At the same time we see that most of the Bangladeshis show their emotion but they might have known the original history of the Rohingyas. It should be highlighted for Bangladeshis especially young generations so that they can take right decision in right time in future.
The Rohingya problem has of late become a matter of great concern to the government and the people of Bangladesh. Several lakh of uprooted Rohingyas, men, women and children, came out of their homeland Arakan and have taken shelter in Bangladesh for about forty years. This happened not once but thrice, in 1978-79, 1991-92, and 2016-17 (till now it is happening); the problem is not yet over; the reverse moment, i.e. the repatriation of the Rohingyas had started already, but is not yet complete; rather, the scenario is the most immeasurable condition in the present time. Such a big number of refugees have given rise to many problems in Bangladesh- problem of food, shelter, sanitation and law and order. Even we are worried for the future because if they are trapped by any international conspiracy group to make our land unstable, we would not be surprised then.
This is a man-made problem, created by the last and present governments of Myanmar; their deliberate policy to denationalize the Rohingyas and their oppression over and suppression of the Rohingyas, compelled the latter to leave the country and take shelter across the river Naf in Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh are not in a position to bear this great responsibility of given food and shelter to such a big number of refuges. Moreover, we cannot see any ray to overcome the situation soon or forever. That’s why, the young generation must be aware to take the challenge in near future.
Who are the Rohingyas and why is this problem? Who is responsible for this? How can we solve this? What problems are waiting for us? Such questions cause always of our headache. There are about 18 lakh Rohingya Muslims in Arakan, a little less than half of the total population. By the new Citizenship Act of the previous ruling military junta in Myanmar and supported by the present so-called democratic ruling government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace (?) Laureate, the Rohingya Muslims are denied of their rights, right to own property, and right of franchise. Even their basic human rights, i.e. right to live with identity and dignity and honour has been taken away. The Rohingyas have been facing inhuman torture, in so much as they had to leave their hearth and home leaving all their properties.
Very cleverly Myanmar government claims that the Rohingyas are outsider. Interestingly they are not mentioning from where how they have entered there. But how could such a huge number of people suddenly enter into Arakan, so that the government of Myanmar (then Burma) could claim that they are not nationals of Myanmar? We know that the Rohingyas have got a history; they are descendants of those who have been settling there in Arakan from a thousand years before. The Rohingyas have got a language, a culture, and a heritage, and above all the 18 lakh Rohingyas from a homogeneous group. Even they were independent from 1430-1631. In 1630, because of a devastating famine they became economically weaker and for this Burmese government suddenly attacked then and made them their part as they were rich for natural resources.
This is eyesore to the ruling junta of Myanmar and this is the reason why they have been trying to expel the Rohingyas, men, women and children. Ours is just a preliminary hints; it is felt that more intensive investigations have to be undertaken to get a total picture of the whole issue.
The first Muslim setters in Arakan were the Arabs; they were the shipwrecked people coming to the east for purpose of trade. We see that initially, the Muslims did not enter into Arakan in their own interest, rather they were invited by the rulers of Arakan. In fact one of the outset kings of Arakan Narameikhla (Min Sawmun) was restored to his throne by the Muslim arms of Bengal. He and his successors invented the Muslims to exploit their economic resources because their own people could not do it or did not know to do it.
The economic development of Arakan and also of Myanmar has come to its present position due to the toil and labour of the foreigners, Kala as they call them. The key to development of Arakan is due to the Rohingyas, who are known being expelled by the Myanmar rulling government. Even when Arakan was occupied by the king Bokawpaya of Burma (now Myanmar), one third of the total population of Arakan were Muslims. So it can be said that the Myanmar past and present governments are responsible for the present condition to fulfill their voluptuous intention. It is should be stopped right now; otherwise, it will be a dark example to the upcoming generation and they must hate the human being.
