‘Rohingya repatriation will start after UN’s nod’

Cox’ Bazar Correspondent: Refugee relief and rehabilitation commissioner Abul Kalam said that Bangladesh has kept ready 150 Rohingya people of 30 families to repatriate them to Myanmar for the very first day of the first phase.

The final process of repatriation will be taken after the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) gave its consent in this regard, he added.

Abul Kalam told this to the reporters after a closed-door meeting with admin officials concerned at his office in the Cox’s Bazar town on Wednesday afternoon.

Additional commissioner of Chattogram division, district administrator and officials of Intelligent Agencies, Army, BGB and Police were present in the meeting.

Commissioner Abul Kalam said, “Bangladesh have taken over all preparations to repatriate 150 Rohingyas of 30 families for the very first day of the first phase. They will be sent back to Myanmar through zero point of Ghumdhum along the border in Naikkhyangchhari of Bandarban on Thursday. The process will start after UNCHR’s consent in this regard.”

“In first phase, a total of 2, 260 Rohingyas will be repatriate. Of them, 150 of 30 families will be sent back on the very first day. Since then, 150 Rohingyas will be repatriated every day,” he added.

Bangladesh is now waiting for assent’s of UNCHR, he said.

More than 10 lakh Rohingyas have been living in Bangladesh as they fled here in face of repression and torture carried out by Myanmar military.
 

risingbd/Cox’s Bazar/November 14, 2018/Rubel/AKA