Rohingyas mark two years of crisis with big rally in Bangladesh camp

Thousands of Rohingya refugees held a rally at Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar on Sunday, marking the second anniversary of the start of the crisis that began following an offensive of Myanmar army.

The rally was held near the extension field of Camp-4, Block-B at Kutupalong Refugee camp, where Rohingyas waved different banners and placards seeking dialogue with Myanmar government to return to home. 

Some of the placards read- ‘Going Home Campaign; talk to us,’ ‘Talk to us about rights,’ ‘Talk to us about citizenship and Rohingya ethnicity,’ ‘Talk to us about security.’

Chairman of Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights Mohammad Mohibullah, Rohingya leaders Hamida Begum, Moulavi Syed Ullah, Kamal Hossain among others spoke on the occasion.

Mohibullah said in the rally they would return home if Myanmar agreed to ensure their citizenship rights with Rohingya ethnicity, security and their rights to return to their own land.

Two attempts for sending back Rohingya people failed as none of the community showed up to return to Rakhine of Myanmar from Bangladesh on 22 August 2019 and 15 November 2018.

Nurul Islam Majumder, the officer-in-charge (investigation) of Ukhya police station said about one lakh Rohingyas attended the rally that ended peacefully.

At the end of the rally, Rohingyas held a special prayer for the victims of the military offensive.

More than 7,00,000 Rohingyas, mostly women, children and aged people, entered Bangladesh after fleeing unbridled murder, arson and rape during ‘security operations’ by the Myanmar military in Rakhine, what the United Nations denounced as ethnic cleansing and genocide, beginning from August 25, 2017.

The latest Rohingya influx took the number of undocumented Myanmar nationals and registered refugees from that country in Bangladesh to about 11,16,000, according to estimates by UN agencies and Bangladesh foreign ministry.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net