Seven thousand 7 hundred 71 Rohingya children lost their parents -- RRRC Md. Abul Kalam
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Md. Abul Kalam talks about Rohingya refugees taking shelter in Bangladesh. He said the number of parents of Rohingya children took shelter in Bangladesh from by attack of Myanmar soldiers is 7,771. They are kept with relatives and acquaintances. So, they can grow up in a family environment. He said the children are undergoing physical and mental treatment by local and foreign agencies. A plan has designed to educate children.
RRRC Md. Abul Kalam also said that the reality not immediately assumed after the August 25 attacks in 2017. There was no preparation for the situation, by the Bangladesh government or by international agencies. The Bangladesh government had no experience to tackle in such a great workforce. The World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are providing food to 11.18 lakh Rohingyas in 32 camps in Teknaf and Ukhia of Cox's Bazar, he said.
The WFP is providing food for 30 camps and ICRC is for the other two camps.
He said formal initiatives have also been taken to protect the Rohingyas from the threat of security, sanitation and nutrition and disaster prevention.
On the health care of the Rohingyas, he said, a total of 124 NGOs are working. And the whole health care issue is being monitored by the Civil Surgeon of Cox's Bazar. 11.18 lakh Rohingyas have been registered under the Biometrics system. However, this number is currently verified.
He said that in 1992, a large number of Rohingyas took shelter in Bangladesh after being failed to tolerate the torture of the Myanmar government, and a total of 22 refugee camps were set up. Later, a large part of them returned to Myanmar. There were two refugee camps remained for a small number of Rohingyas. A total of 32 Rohingya refugee camps are currently operating in the area, including two old Rohingya camps in the district of Cox's Bazar, including 8 in the Teknaf Upazila and 22 in Ukhia.
Regarding the Rohingyas' repatriation to their home country Myanmar, the RRRC said a bilateral agreement signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar on November 23, 2017. A joint working group formed in light of the agreement. The working group also held three meetings. A possible date for the repatriation of the Rohingyas was set on November 15, 2018. But the Rohingyas refused to return to Myanmar on that date on security concerns.
In this context, RRRC Md Abul Kalam said that the Rohingyas would return to Myanmar if the security and human rights situation in Myanmar improved. Because the Rohingyas always said they want to return to their homeland in safety. They want to go back to their motherland.
Regarding the natural environment of Cox's Bazar, the RRRC said that only Rohingyas were not facing the disaster in Myanmar in the violence, genocide or ethnic cleansing Bangladesh has been under environmental, infrastructure and social intolerant pressure. The 6,000 acres of forest land allotted to the Rohingyas have been destroyed. With no alternative to fuelwood, the Rohingyas are destroying the forest.
In the context of Hindu Rohingyas, RRRC Md. Abul Kalam said that after the August 25, 2017 attacks, 500 Hindu Rohingyas came to Bangladesh to save their lives. Many of them have returned to their homeland. Now, four hundred 50 Hindu Rohingyas are living in West Kutupalang. The Indian government has given great importance to the Hindu Rohingyas. Bangladesh government is doing everything possible for them.