New refugee camps to be moved into ‘restricted zone’

Bangladesh authorities will be moving the newly-built refugee camps into the zone allotted for Rohingyas, where access of outsiders will be restricted.

A decision to move the clutter of new settlements in Ukhia and Teknaf that followed the exodus of about 450,000 Rohingyas came at a meeting in Cox's Bazar today.

Twelve new slums had sprouted in Teknaf and Ukhia, four of which were inside the designated 2,000-acre land in Ukhia's Balukhali. Eight other settlements will be shifted there.

Speaking at a briefing at Ukhia Upazila Parishad Auditorium, Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md Ali Hossain said access to the refugee zone will be restricted for all.

Also, a hundred sanitary latrines and hundred tube wells will be built in each of the camps.

Twelve platoons of paramilitary force Border Guard Bangladesh and 10 mobile courts will be deployed along the length of Teknaf to Kutupalang, the meeting decided.

Bangladesh has been lauded internationally for its efforts to offer temporary shelter for the Rohingya refugees who have fled from Myanmar to escape persecution.

However, Bangladesh has equally stressed that Myanmar should take back their citizens. Dhaka has been engaging diplomacy to put pressure on Myanmar to this end.

Today's meeting held at Ukhia Upazila Parishad Auditorum to coordinate the management of Rohingya refugees was chaired by Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md Ali Hossain, and attended by high officials including district Superintendent of Police AKM Iqbal Hossain.