Arakan Army
Int’l pressure must be stepped up to resolve Rohingya crisis
It had long been feared that the influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar would cause a major crisis for Bangladesh. That fear is becoming reality day by day. Despite several attempts, the Rohingyas could not be repatriated. Instead, new groups continue to enter.
Why taskforce to control drugs formed so late
Cox’s Bazar and the Rohingya camps located there have gradually turned into hotspots for drugs. Almost every day, various well-known and lesser-known drugs – including yaba and crystal meth (ice) – are entering through Cox’s Bazar from Myanmar, and spreading across the country. The Rohingya refugees were already a major concern for Bangladesh, and now the drugs entering through them are becoming an even greater threat with each passing day. The unchecked spread of yaba and other drugs centred around the Rohingya refugee camps is not only destabilising local communities, but also endangering national security, the economy, and the future of the youth.
Rohingya crisis: The maze of repatriation
The Rohingya crisis currently stands as the greatest threat to Bangladesh’s national security and sovereignty. Recently, it has been further complicated by debates over transit corridors and incidents of push-in operations where India has forcibly sent some registered Rohingyas into Bangladesh. In March, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Bangladesh’s interim government’s Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus visited Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar and gave hopeful messages about repatriating the Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine. There were reports that as many as 180,000 Rohingyas might be repatriated to Myanmar. However, those hopes quickly proved unrealistic. Moreover, since the interim government took charge nine months ago, at least 100,000 new Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh. As a result, Bangladesh's burden is increasing, and the issue of Rohingya repatriation is becoming entangled in a complex web of regional and international politics, with no immediate resolution in sight.
Prevent Rohingya infiltration
According to official estimates, there are currently more than 1.2 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh. An average of 30,000 Rohingya children are born every year. As a result, the number of Rohingyas is naturally increasing; additionally, new infiltrations have occurred. Due to security concerns, countless Rohingyas are entering Bangladesh from Myanmar and India every month, and the exact number remains unknown. On Sunday (March 2), news outlets reported that despite barriers, around 60,000 Rohingyas have entered the country recently, which is a matter of great concern for the nation!
ISPR requests not to get misled by rumours over security of St. Martin’s
Inter Services Public Relation Directorate (ISPR) has urged all not to be misguided by rumours spreading through social media over the security of St. Martin’s island centering Myanmar's ongoing internal conflict near the island.
Arakan Army abducts 10 fishermen from Naf River
Myanmar's rebel group Arakan Army (AA) has abducted 10 Bangladeshi fishermen from Thaingkhali border area in Ukhiya upazila in Cox's Bazar while fishing in the Naf River.
Eight more BGP members fled into Bangladesh
Eight more members of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) have fled to Bangladesh amid clashes between the Myanmar military and the armed rebel group Arakan Army.