Rohingyas spilling out of camps
Desperate for a shelter, many are building their small
shanties outside the cramped Rohingya camps of Cox’s Bazar. Locals have seized
the opportunity to make a few bucks. They are charging rent from the refugees
who started to flee the Myanmar state of Rakhaine since October when the
government came down hard to evict this ethnic minority.
Some Rohingya refugees have rented houses while others are
living in slums around Cox’s Bazar. Robbed of most of their possessions,
refugee families find it rather difficult to fit into the single rooms that
they are being offered.
Landowner Jahangir Alam, who has rented out his land to
Rohingyas, told the Dhaka Tribune: “I am only trying to ease their suffering by
helping them.”
When asked whether he was aware of the requirement for
government permission about sheltering Rohingyas, Jahangir said: “I am only
fulfilling my duty as a human.”
Saidul Amin is one of the refugees at Ukhiya’s Kutupalong
refugee camp. He has been there a week where Saidul has to share a small room
with eight family members.
Saidul then rented a piece of Jahangir’s land and built a
hut there to get away from the camp.
Similarly, 50-year-old Marium Negum said: “I could not fit
my five children into the room at the camps. So I rented a small piece of land
beside the camp.”
There are hundreds like Marium and Saidul who are paying
rent of Tk600-800.
Cox’s Bazar Rohingya Refugee Repatriation Action Committee
(RRRC) Principal Hamidul Haque Chowdhury said: “The local opportunists are
renting out their land to make money which will eventually encourage more
illegal Rohingya refugees to come.
“The refugees are not following any rules or regulations of
the government. They are moving freely without any permission – posing a threat
for Cox’s Bazar.”
Sanjukta Sahany, head of the International Organisation for
Migration (IOM), said that around 21,000 Rohingyas had fled to Bangladesh in
the recent weeks to escape violence in neighbouring Myanmar.
“Every day, hundreds of Rohingya Muslims are coming into
Bangladesh illegally which will total 30,000 very soon,” he added.
Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims tried to cross into Bangladesh
illegally after Myanmar troops launched a crackdown in Rakhine state in
response to attacks on three border posts on October 9 which killed nine police
officers.
Some Rohingya refugees have rented houses while others are
living in slums around Cox’s Bazar. Robbed of most of their possessions,
refugee families find it rather difficult to fit into the single rooms that
they are being offered.
Landowner Jahangir Alam, who has rented out his land to
Rohingyas, told the Dhaka Tribune: “I am only trying to ease their suffering by
helping them.”
When asked whether he was aware of the requirement for
government permission about sheltering Rohingyas, Jahangir said: “I am only
fulfilling my duty as a human.”
Saidul Amin is one of the refugees at Ukhiya’s Kutupalong
refugee camp. He has been there a week where Saidul has to share a small room
with eight family members.
Saidul then rented a piece of Jahangir’s land and built a
hut there to get away from the camp.
Similarly, 50-year-old Marium Negum said: “I could not fit
my five children into the room at the camps. So I rented a small piece of land
beside the camp.”
There are hundreds like Marium and Saidul who are paying
rent of Tk600-800.
Cox’s Bazar Rohingya Refugee Repatriation Action Committee
(RRRC) Principal Hamidul Haque Chowdhury said: “The local opportunists are renting
out their land to make money which will eventually encourage more illegal
Rohingya refugees to come.
“The refugees are not following any rules or regulations of
the government. They are moving freely without any permission – posing a threat
for Cox’s Bazar.”
Sanjukta Sahany, head of the International Organisation for
Migration (IOM), said that around 21,000 Rohingyas had fled to Bangladesh in
the recent weeks to escape violence in neighbouring Myanmar.
“Every day, hundreds of Rohingya Muslims are coming into
Bangladesh illegally which will total 30,000 very soon,” he added.
Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims tried to cross into Bangladesh
illegally after Myanmar troops launched a crackdown in Rakhine state in
response to attacks on three border posts on October 9 which killed nine police
officers.