Kaladan News

 

Dated: Friday, January 28, 2005

                                                                    

 

Five Refugees Jailed for Refusal of Forced Repatriation

 

Teknaf, January 28: Five refugees were arrested and sent to jail by police for refusal of forced repatriation in Bangladesh refugee camp, said a refugee leader on condition of anonymity.

 

The victims were identified as Du Du Meah son of Hussain Ahamed, 35, Shed No.2, B. Block, Room 1, Nayapara Camp No.1, Mobibul Mostafa, 30, B. Block, Shed No1, Room No.1, Mohamed Hussain, 40, son of Habib, B. Block, Shed No.2, and Room No.3, Sayed Alam, 36, son of Mohamed Sultan, Shed No. 9, and Room No. 5, Boshir Ahamed, 60, son of Abdul Zabar, Block No.1, Shed No.17 and Room No.6. The all victims are belonging to Nayapara Refugee camp, he further added.

 

Some victims were arrested on 23rd of January and some were arrested on 27th of January 2005 by police because of negative response of forced repatriation. Afterwards, they were sent to Cox’s Bazar jail, said another refugee leader who declined to mention his name.

 

But, representative of UNHCR here Christopher BC Lee has lauded the efforts of the Bangladesh government to ensure welfare of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

 

The appreciation came when Lee called on Food and Disaster Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf at his Secretariat office here on 26th of January. Secretary of the ministry Siddiqur Rahman Chowdhury was present. They exchanged views on matters of mutual interests, said an official handout.

 

The minister apprised the UNHCR representative of various pragmatic steps taken by the government for repatriation of the Burmese refugees to their homeland.

 

The UNHCR representative appreciated the government steps for ensuring law and order and discipline in the refugee camps as well as overall welfare of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

 

Lee told the minister that UNHCR has been negotiating with the Burmese government for the repatriation of the refugees.” If our negotiation yields positive results, the process of repatriation will start soon,” lee said.

 

At present, about 20,000 Rohingya refugees are taking shelter in two refugee camps of Kutupalong and Nayapara, officials said.##

 

For more information, please contact at:

Phone: +880 11 227 138

E-mail:  [email protected]

Website: www.yahoo.com , www.yahoo.org