Space crunch slows shifting Rohingyas to mega camp

About 46 per cent Rohingyas are yet to be shifted to the government-designated mega camp for them inside two months of its launch because of inadequate space and continued arrival of Myanmar ethnic minorities.
The government on September 12 officially started gathering the Rohingyas, who entered Bangladesh fleeing persecution in Myanmar, at an under-construction camp at Balukhali near Kutupalang of Ukhia in Cox’s Bazar.
It said that they would concentrate all new entrants at the camp, so that they could not mingle with Bangladeshis and for smooth distribution of humanitarian assistance like shelter, food, safe drinking water and others. 
So far around 55 per cent of 6.13 lakh Rohingyas, who fled violence in Myanmar into Bangladesh, were brought to the designated camp in Balukhali, also known as Kutupalang extension, according to international aid workers.
‘We cannot shift all Rohingyas to the Balukhali camp as we do not have enough space there,’ refugee relief and repatriation commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Mohammad Abul Kalam told New Age on Saturday.
‘Now it seems that 3,000 acres [12.14 square kilometres] are not enough. We are looking for new spaces to shift all Rohingyas now living in makeshift places,’ he said.
According to the UN estimation till Thursday, 6,13,000 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh since the beginning of the new influx, what the United Nations called the world’s fastest-developing refugee emergency, on August 25.
A government handout on Friday, however, said that till the day 6,26,500 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh.
Officials estimated that the new influx already took to 10.32 lakh the number of documented and undocumented Myanmar nationals in Bangladesh entering the country at times since 1978.
The new influx began after Myanmar security forces responded to Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army’s reported attacks on August 25 by launching violence what the United Nations denounced as ethnic cleansing.
Terrified, half-starved and exhausted Rohingyas continued arriving in Bangladesh in groups trekking hills and forests and crossing rough sea and the Naf on boat and taking shelter wherever they could in Cox’s Bazar.
The government in early September planned to construct the mega camp at Balukhali under Ukhia in Cox’s Bazar with 84,000 sheds on 2,000 acre forest area for estimated 4.20 lakh Rohingyas. 
As the influx continued, the government on October 5 decided to build 1,50,000 sheds on 3,000 acre to accommodate eight lakh Rohingyas.
The situation report prepared by the UN and other international aid agencies on Thursday also shows that 3,35,000 Rohingya new arrivals took refuge at Balukhali camp. 
It said that 2,32,000 were still living at Hakimpara, Thangkhali, Unchiprang, Jamtoli, Moinarghona and Chakmarkul in Cox’s Bazar.
The situation report also said that 46,000 new arrivals of Rohingyas were still living in Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Ramu, Teknaf and Ukhia area.
Beside, Bandarban’s Naikhyangchari upazlia nirbahi officer SM Sarwar Kamal said that over 9,600 Rohingyas took shelter at Chakdhala, Shap Marar Jhiri and other places of upazila. 
‘We contacted with authorities over shifting all Rohingyas living in Naikhyangchari to Balukhali, but they said it was not possible right now due to space constrain,’ he said.
A government official of Cox’s Bazar said that the government was carrying out preliminary survey and feasibility study of land for 1,000 acres of additional land around the area of Jamtoli and Hakimpara.
‘We cannot allocate the land indiscriminately. There are some local residents and we are keeping in mind the security of wild animals too,’ Abul Kalam said.
Meanwhile, New Age correspondent in Cox’s Bazar reported that the perilous journey of Rohingyas entering Bangladesh on rafts made up with plastic jerry cans continued for the fourth day.
Rohingyas fleeing persecution in their homeland since August 25, when the latest spell of violence erupted in Rakhine state, were so far crossing the border walking through land border points or coming by boats through water border.
Dozens of Rohingyas entered Bangladesh floating on a raft made up with jerry cans through Shah Parir Dwip point crossing River Naf, Teknaf upazila nirbahi officer Zahid Hossain Siddique said. 
On Friday, about 180 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh floating on a raft, 130 on Thursday and 52 on Wednesday.
Bangladesh shares with Myanmar a 272-km border that falls in Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar. Of this, a 52-km stretch is covered by the Naf.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net