Rohingyas entering Bangladesh in groups from India: Foreign minister
NEWS DESK:
Rohingya refugees are entering Bangladesh in groups from India, Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen has said.
“They are coming here in order to get better meals. It’s a concern for us. Security will be enhanced on the border to prevent them from entering here,” he told reporters at the ministry on Tuesday (May 17).
On hearing from their relatives about having better meals and living conditions in Bangladesh, they have recently started coming in groups from India, he said.
The bad news is that they are coming to Bangladesh managing brokers on both sides of the border, the foreign minister said.
Some of Rohingyas who entered Bangladesh from India have been detained, he said and quoted them as saying that they have come to Bangladesh in order to get better meals, which they didn’t get while in India.
Asked how many Rohingyas have so far been detained while entering from India, Mr Momen said, “Quite a number of them have been arrested. Meanwhile, we have arrested 18 Rohingyas.”
Security forces need to be further alerted to prevent Rohingyas from entering Bangladesh from India, he said.
Noting that India will be notified of Rohingyas entering Bangladesh from India, the foreign minister said, “We will notify the Indian government such accidents are taking place.”
Mr Momen is scheduled to visit India later this May. He will attend a river conclave in the Indian state of Assam on May 28-29 and then the Joint Consultative Commission meeting in Delhi on May 30.
