Teknaf, Bangladesh: Rohingya women from northern Arakan, who travel to Bangladesh for medical treatment, are facing more difficulties there than in Burma, according to a female patient from Maungdaw.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) female staff are checking the whole body, even the genital area, when we enter at the Tekaf and Dum Dum Meah points. They are searching for he drug yaba,” she said.
“Burmese authorities don’t search us in this manner, but if they suspect something they will search everywhere,” she added.
“Do they think all Rohingyas are drug smugglers?” she complained." Are they going to check all people who cross the border this way?”
The Customs and Immigration officers are also collecting money from Rohingyas who enter Bangladesh, said a trader who always visit Bangladesh for his business.
The officers are collecting 200 taka from those who want entry permits in their passports.
“BGB female personnel took 10,000 taka from a Rohingya woman from Maungdaw. Others asked the BGB personnel to return the money, which they did. This happened on December in at the evening,” said a woman passenger from Maungdaw.
“The checks are done to harass the Rohingya community who go to Bangladesh for medical treatment. They go there because their villages lack medical facilities and they are not able to travel to Akyab due to restrictions on movement.
