KALADAN NEWS

Dated-Wednesday-May 21, 2003

ROHINGYA REFUGEE REPATRIATION STARTS AGAIN

Chittagong, May 21: Repatriation of Rohingya refugees

resumed Monday after over a couple of years with the

return of 123 refugees from 20 families to their

homeland, Arakan, Burma, according to the Daily Star.

Another 150 refugees are expected to return today. The

Rohingya refugees have been in Bangladesh for the last

12 years. They will be repatriated twice a week--- on

Mondays and Wednesdays. About 21,658 refugees are

still waiting for repatriation, said Bangladesh

officials.

According to official estimates, 250,877 Rohingyas

crossed border and took refuge in Bangladesh between

October 1991 and June 1992 to escape persecution by

Burma’s military junta. Since then, 233,727 refugees

have returned home.

After 1992, many more entered Bangladesh, but the

government did not recognize them as refugees. These

people are now scattered over Teknaf, Bandarband and

Cox’s Bazar, sources said.

The birth rate in the refugee camps surpassed the

repatriation rate, which increased the number of

Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh, the paper further said.

Editor

Kaladan Press Network

E-mail: [email protected]