Teknaf, Bangladesh: The camp authority (security police) at Nayapara Refugee Camp has imposed movement restrictions on all refugees since the third week of May, said a refugee elder from the camp.
“The restrictions were imposed on UNHCR-registered refugees in Bangladesh after the arrival of Police Inspector Nurul Islam at the camp.”
“The camp security police are restricting the refugees from going outside of the camp.”
“Before we were able to go outside the camp, but now we can’t go out from the gates, even to buy some things from outside shops,” a refugee said on condition of anonymity.
“Police Inspector Nurul Islam is seizing batteries from the refugees who use bulbs with batteries at night to help their children study in their shacks.”
The refugees also cannot sell daily essential things in the camp for fearing of having their belongings destroyed. This morning, refugees were prohibited from selling fish inside the camp after police drove the sellers away.
A refugee committee member summarizes Inspector Islam’s attitude as, ‘I will not let the refugees enjoy any opportunity as long as I am in the camp’.
“Police Inspector Nurul Islam was appointed before to Nayapara camp, but he was transferred from the camp after destroying the shack rooms of some refugees. Islam was appointed again in the camp and has started harassment against the refugees again.”
