It has come to light that several NGOs working in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazaar are deliberately delaying the repatriation of the community for their own interests. A small and vested group of NGOs are openly active to delay the repatriation process, instead of working for a safe and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas.
Many top level officials do not want Rohingya repatriation to take place quickly as they receive large amount of financial aid from international agencies. They appropriate a large sum of this aid for their own personal use. For this reason, certain NGOs are telling the Rohingyas that they should not return unless some conditions, such as citizenship, are ensured.
A number of local dignitaries alleged that NGO officials are also misleading the Rohingyas in many ways, saying if they return they would be tortured and violated again. The NGO officials are using the fear among the Rohingya people for their own benefit.
The huge number of Rohingya refugees in
the country has put an enormous strain on
our economy and the environment
The locals said the NGO officials are convincing the Rohingyas that if they stay in Bangladesh, they would get food, house, treatment, education and other facilities. It is very clear to all that there is a lack of trust among the Rohingya people but instigations by certain NGOs are visible for stalling the repatriation process.
Meanwhile, and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that the government is taking strategic actions to ensure repatriation of Rohingyas. The government of Bangladesh, along with several other nations, has been pressuring Myanmar to take back the Rohingya refugees in a safe and dignified manner.
The huge number of Rohingya refugees in the country has put an enormous strain on our economy and the environment. Moreover, the Rohingya also pose a security threat as many have been found to be involved in gang warfare, drug smuggling and other illegal activities.
It is therefore high time that the repatriation process of the refugees starts in an orderly manner so that Bangladesh can go back to focusing on its own internal issues and domestic challenges.
