Dhaka: The Bangladesh government has banned refugees from an unofficial Burmese Muslim refugee camp from working outside the camp since 25 July, said a refugee from the camp over the phone.
 
He said, "We have been prohibited by Bangladesh authorities from working outside the camp, so we are now facing many difficulties, including our daily survival."
 
Many of the refugees, mostly men, go outside the camps for work in order to provide for their families' daily survival because the NGOs servicing the camp can not provide adequate provisions.
 
"In the camp, there are two NGOs - one is Islamic Relief and another is Muslim Aid (UK) - but the NGOs can not supply adequate food to all refugees. So we have to go outside looking for work to earn money as day laborers," he said.
 
The Ladda refugee camp is an unofficial camp located near Teknaf Town, and was established in 2008 by Burmese Muslim refugees who were living in a makeshift roadside camp in Teknaf.
 
Over 12,000 refugees are currently living in Ladda camp without government or UNHCR assistance. Neither the Bangladesh government nor the UNHCR have supplied either food or shelter at the camp.
 
A teacher from the camp who requested anonymity said that Bangladesh Rifles is blocking refugees from leaving the camp for work. BDR personnel say that the refugees have not been given the right to work outside the camp and must live in the camp.
 
Another refugee said, "The authority is banning not only work outside the camp, but also going to the market to buy food and other things. It is a big problem for us."
 
Recently, the Bangladesh government has been forcing Muslim refugees back to Burma after many began entering Bangladesh illegally to seek refuge. "It is part of the Bangladesh government's plan to restrict Muslim refugees from Burma," said the teacher.