The total number of Rohingyas, who had to cross into Cox’s Bazar to escape from the atrocities committed by the Myanmar security forces, local Buddhist mobs and people from other groups in Rakhine, now stands at 6.88 lakh since August 25, last year. “688,000 new arrivals are reported as of 21 January, according to an IOM (International Organisation for Migration) needs and population monitoring (NPM) baseline survey,” says the situation update forwarded by the inter sector coordination group (ISCG) yesterday. The increase in the number is not a result of a significant influx, but due to strengthened assessments, it states.
With these 6.88 lakh arrivals since August 25, last year, the total number of Rohingyas living in the country now stands at little over 9 lakh. But, according to the government estimate, the figure is well above 10 lakhs.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh and Myanmar have missed the deadline to begin the repatriation of the Rohingyas as specified in the deal signed by the Bangladesh foreign minister and a Myanmar minister attached with the state counsellor’s office in Naypyidaw on November 23. As per the agreement, the repatriation was supposed to begin within two months of the signing of the deal. The two-month period ended yesterday.
Officials put the blames on lack of preparations from both sides and do not consider it as ‘a big deal’ if it gets started few days later.
They, however, could not say as to when the repatriation will begin. According to multiple sources, as both the countries are preparing for repatriating Rohingyas, people are still coming from Rakhine and that is a violation of the agreement because it is stated in the deal that Myanmar will stop the influx.
“You’re talking about repatriation when people are still coming from Rakhine,” a senior official concerned who returned from Cox’s Bazar on Sunday told The Independent,” adding, “I really don’t know how the repatriation will begin under such a situation.”
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Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.
Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.