City
Epaper

Bangladesh started fencing Rohingya camps

By IANS | Published: November 25, 2019 7:24 AM

Bangladesh authorities said on Sunday they have started the process of erecting barbed wire fence near Rohingya camps in the country's Cox's Bazar district, a move that has already been criticized by the rights group.

Open in App

Bangladesh Army chief General Aziz Ahmed told reporters at a program in the area: "Our preparation is on full swing. In one camp some pillars have already been erected.

"The pillars are being constructed at the cantonment. We are taking it from there to erect."

Ahmed said the demand for buying wire for erecting the fence had been placed and it would take some time for the process to be completed, the Efe news reported.

He also revealed the government has sanctioned the construction of a 287km road along the Myanmar and Indian border.

"This (the construction of road) is now at the planning stage. Very soon we will appoint contractor," he said.

Bangladesh announced the plan to install barbed wire fences around the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar as the authorities were aiming to prevent Rohingyas spread across the country.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told reporters in Dhaka on September 26 that they would soon install barbed wire fences around the camps "as per the directive of the prime minister to maintain law and order in the camps and ensure safety and security".

New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch criticized the move, saying that violate refugees' rights to freedom of movement.

"While the authorities have a duty to protect camp residents, security measures should not infringe upon basic rights and humanitarian needs," it said in a statement on September 30.

"The proposed measures do not meet the standards of necessity and proportionality for restricting free movement under international human rights law."

Nearly 7,45,000 Rohingya refugees have been living in Bangladeshi camps since August 2017, following a wave of persecution and violence in Myanmar that the UN has described as ethnic cleansing and genocide.

Myanmar does not use the term Rohingya and also does not recognize the group as citizens, arguing they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: bangladeshAziz AhmedAsaduzzaman Khanarmy
Open in App

Related Stories

CricketBAN vs NEP, T20 World Cup 2024: Bangladesh Beat Nepal by 21 Runs To Qualify for Super Eights

InternationalAfter Military Service, BTS's Jin Celebrates with Fans, Hugging 1000 ARMYs at BTS Anniversary Event

CricketShakib Al Hasan Makes History, Becomes First Bangladeshi Batter to Surpass 2,500 T20I Runs

CricketBAN vs NED, T20 World Cup 2024: Netherlands Win Toss, Opts to Bowl First Against Bangladesh

MumbaiMumbai ATS Arrests Four Bangladeshi Nationals for Forged Documents and Illegal Voting

International Realted Stories

InternationalOn Eid Al-Adha, calls for action highlight Uyghur and Turkic Muslims' plight in Xinjiang

InternationalPM Modi extends festival wishes to Kuwait's Emir, country's other leaders on Eid al-Adha

InternationalJaishankar meets US National Security Advisor Sullivan in Delhi, discusses bilateral, global issues

InternationalBelgium: United Kashmir People's National Party demands release of PoJK activists arrested on "fake" terrorism charges

InternationalRawalpindi police registers case against several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders for protest outside Adiala jail