Denmark crown princess visits Rohingya camps in Ukhiya
Crown princess of Denmark Mary Elizabeth visited Kutupalong Refugee Camps in the Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday and spent the day with the Rohingya refugees.
At 10:30am on Tuesday, the Danish princess interacted with Rohingya kids at the Kutupalong Camp-6. The children greeted her with a salam. The princess asked them, “How are you?” They replied with a smile, “We are fine.”
She further asked, “Do all of you go to school? Do you guys have a school here (refugee camps)?” One of the kids answered saying, “Yes, we have a lot of schools here. All of us go to school.”
Princess Mary Elizabeth also spoke with a number of Rohingya families. She asked them why they escaped Rakhine, their condition after taking shelter in Bangladesh, how they live as refugees in Rohingya camps and do they want to return to Myanmar.
A Rohingya woman then described how the Myanmar army raped, committed genocide, set their houses on fire on 25 August 2017.
She said, “We have been demanding justice for this genocide. We (Rohingyas) want to return to Myanmar. But even five years after we fled the country, the Myanmar government is not letting us return.”
Princess Mary Elizabeth vowed that Denmark will support the Rohingya refugees in their fight for an honourable repatriation. At noon, the princess spoke with 10 Rohingya men and women at the Rohingya Co-ordination Centre in camp-6.
The Danish princess started for Ukhiya at 8:15am from a hotel on the coasts of the Kolatoli beach in Cox’s Bazar. She reached Kutupalong camp-5 at 9:15am. At the camp, she was greeted by Refugee Relief and Repatriation (RRRC) commissioner Shah Rezwan Hayat. Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation commissioner Md Shamsu-douja and other government officials were also present.
After that, the princess visited the hill erosion prevention initiative and forestation programme undertaken by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) at the camp. Later, she visited camp-6.
The Danish princess started for Ukhiya at 8:15 AM from a hotel on the coasts of the Kolatoli beach in Cox’s Bazar. She reached Kutupalong camp-5 at 9:15am. At the camp, she was greeted by Refugee Relief and Repatriation (RRRC) commissioner Shah Rezwan Hayat.
Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation commissioner Md Shamsu-douja and other government officials were also present.
After that, the princess visited the hill erosion prevention initiative and forestation programme undertaken by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) at the camp. Later, she visited camp-6.
Strict security measures were taken in the camp for princess Mary Elizabeth’s visit. Entry of press was limited and movement inside the camp was also restricted. The Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf road was closed for other vehicles for hours when the princess’s convoy was on that road.
At 3:30pm, the princess went to the Patabari village inside Rajapalong union adjacent to the camp. There she spoke with the villagers. The locals told her how the villagers’ attempt to help the Rohingya refugees has harmed agriculture, deforestation and loss of jobs.
Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation commissioner Md Shamsu-douja was accompanying the princess at the time.
He told Prothom Alo, the princess endured terrible heat to speak with the Rohingya children, men and women. She inquired about their lives and about their repatriation. The princess also saw the preventive measures taken to tackle erosion at hills that are at risk due to the construction of the camps and the forestation programme.
The crown princess of Denmark arrived in Bangladesh on Monday on a three-day visit. She flew to the Cox’s Bazar airport at 5:00pm the same day. Deputy commissioner Mamunur Rashid greeted her with flower garlands. She is staying at the five star hotel Sayeman Beach Resort.