Some 50,000 more Rohingyas have gathered on the other side of the border to enter Bangladesh amid a fresh wave of exodus from Myanmar's Rakhine state, reports UNB. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sources said the forcibly displaced Myanmar citizens were waiting at two border points -- Medi, the other side of Anjumanpara border in Ukhia upazila, and Kowanchobon, opposite to Lambabeel in Teknaf upazila. "Approximately 50,000 Rohingyas are waiting at the two border points to enter Bangladesh," said Major Iqbal Ahmed, deputy company commander of BGB-34 Battalion.

Talking to UNB, Saikat Biswas, district coordinator of International Organization for Migration (IOM), said more Rohingyas were still waiting on the other side of the border to cross into Bangladesh. Meanwhile, the Rohingyas who came here newly said the Myanmar army is now forcibly providing ‘White Cards’, officially known as national verification cards (NVC), to the Rohingya community.

The card a copy of which is obtained by UNB reads, “Holding this card does not testify the cardholder is a Myanmar citizen. The cardholder is a person who needs to apply for citizenship in accordance with Myanmar Citizenship Law.” Those refused to accept the cards were forced to leave Rakhine state, alleged the new arrivals while talking to UNB.

According to the report of some international media, the Myanmar government started to distribute the NVCs forcibly on October 1 and has already given the cards to more than 7,000 people. On the other hand, the situation at already overcrowded makeshift Rohingya camps in Kutupalong and Balukhali is getting worse with the arrivals of the new Rohingyas.

Visiting the camps, this UNB correspondent found the new arrivals were staying in balconies of mosques, madrasahs and outside of the locals’ residences.

Abu Sayed, who has recently entered Bangladesh through Shah Parir Dwip, said they crossed the entire route by boats. “I and my family members are in deep trouble now as we’re yet to find any comfortable living place and relief materials,” he said while talking to UNB. As the Rohingyas are using the perilous water route to reach Shah Parir Dwip in Tekhnaf upazila, some 194 Rohingyas have so far died in boat and trawler capsizes.

 According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), at least 613,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh since August 25 following persecution carried out by Myanmar military forces in Rakhine state.