Teknaf, Bangladesh: Arakanese Rohingyas are facing movement restriction in border areas of Bangladesh from today as the Rohingya Resistance Committee (RRC) declared they would be arrested in town and on the road, according to a NGO member in Teknaf.
The Rohingya, who want to go to work or pull rickshaw, find it very risky after the movement restriction today. Mostly are daily laborers who live in Teknaf and along the border area, he added.
On the other hand, Arakanese Rohingya refugees from Nayapara camp under UNHCR are banned from going outside by the authorities since morning and no one is allowed to enter the refugee camp, said a refugee from the camp.
An Arakanese Rohingya refugee from Lada camp said, “We are afraid of being arrested by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), police and local people. We can’t go outside the camp to work. We are finding it difficult to feed our family members.”
A rickshaw puller from Teknaf said, “I have four family members. I get Taka 100 to 150 daily. If I can’t pull the rickshaw for a day, I have difficulty feeding my family members as everything is expensive.”
“If Bangladeshi people and authorities harass and impose movement restriction in border areas, where will we live and go. We don’t want to stay in Bangladesh, if Burma becomes stable and secure; we will go back, there is no need to push us like this,” he added.
Similarly, on January 16, about 34 Arakanese Rohingyas were arrested on Teknaf-Cox’s Bazaar high way by police from different buses and different points when they were going to Cox’s Bazar.
Yesterday, the Rohingya Resistance Committee (RRC) called on politicians and the Township Officer (UNO) on the issue of Arakanese Rohingya in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar district. The RRC wants the government to take steps on the Rohingya issue. If the government does not take any step, the RRC will do it themselves. However, the government officers are asking for time till January 23.
On January 18, seven Arakanese Rohingyas men were arrested from their rented houses without family members by police from Shapuri Dip. Now, they are in Teknaf police station, according to local.
