500 Rohingyas drifting at sea in two trawlers
Two more trawlers carrying around 500 Rohingyas have been spotted by local fishermen south of St Martin’s island in the Bay of Bengal, according to law enforcement agencies and local people’s representatives.
Last Wednesday night , the coast guard rescued 396 Rohingyas from the coast near Baharchhara union of Teknaf. These Rohingyas from camps in Ukhia and Teknaf had fallen prey to human traffickers and had set sail for Malaysia around two months ago.
However, due to the coronavirus outbreak, they were not allowed to alight at Malaysia and returned to Teknaf after 52 days at seas. During the harrowing trip, 32 died of hunger. They were handed over the next day to personnel of the UN refugee organisation UNHCR and are now quarantined for 14 days at two separate repatriation centres in Ukhia and Teknaf.
Over 500 Rohingyas at sea
A number of fishermen from Teknaf have reported that while they were fishing at sea two days ago, they spotted two trawlers carrying around 500 Rohingyas south of St Martin’s island in the Bay of Bengal.
And the Myanmar navy is guarding the coast so the Rohingyas cannot go there. Meanwhile, the two trawlers are not being able to approach Teknaf as the Bangladesh Coast Guard and navy are patrolling the coast off St Martin’s.
St Martin’s union parishad chairman Nur Ahmad said he had also heard from the fishermen about the two trawlers of Rohingyas at sea. He said that at night they might head for Teknaf. However, he added, no trawlers with Rohingyas would be allowed at St Martin’s.
President of the Cox’s Bazar Civil Societies Forum Fazlul Quader Chowdhury, said after the 391 Rohingyas, if we allow over another 500 to enter, then the Rohingyas in Myanmar will jump at the opportunity and come in hordes. Bangladesh will fall into a deep crisis then.
Commander of Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) Teknaf-2 battalion, Lt Col Mohammed Faisal Hossain Khan said, “We have heard that two trawler loads of Rohingyas are heading towards Bangladesh. The Coast Guard and the navy are patrolling Bangladesh’s waters and BGB is patrolling the border.”
The Coast Guard is also aware of the matter. Coast Guard Teknaf station commander Lt (BN) M Sohel Rana said they knew about the trawlers. He said, “The Coast Guard is patrolling a very long coast with limited manpower. But because of strong surveillance, we managed to catch the trawler with 391 Rohingyas on Wednesday night.”
Concern in Teknaf
General Secretary of the Teknaf office of Citizens for Good Governance (Sujon), ABM Abul Hossain, said these Rohingyas were not allowed to enter Malaysia, Thailand or Myanmar because of the coronavirus pandemic, yet they can enter Bangladesh. The local people are angry about this. The Rohingyas may bring the virus with them. They should not be allowed en masse.
President of the Cox’s Bazar Civil Societies Forum Fazlul Quader Chowdhury, said after the 391 Rohingyas, if we allow over another 500 to enter, then the Rohingyas in Myanmar will jump at the opportunity and come in hordes. Bangladesh will fall into a deep crisis then.
Additional police superintendent (admin) Mohammed Iqbal Hossain said that even amid this coronavirus crisis, the Rohingyas are slipping past the law enforcement agencies and heading by sea for Malaysia. Many of them are unable to enter Malaysia and head back to Teknaf. The police are aware of this.
On 12 February this year, a trawler carrying Rohingyas en route Malaysia capsized near St Martin’s and 19 Rohingyas died in the incident. Another 46 went missing.