DHAKA - As if a million Rohingya refugees are not enough, we have to now face the prospect of Rohingyas sneaking in through the borders from India into Bangladesh.
Not in too many places has one seen a country not only accept such a large number of persecuted, internationally displaced people, but also shelter them for years on end. The second tranche of them will have been here five years come August. And their numbers inside the camps are increasing.
But, equally more seriously, their religious identity as Muslims makes them vulnerable in India. These are not subjective observations, but conclusions drawn from the statements of Rohingyas who have managed to cross into Bangladesh. According to The Daily Star report, it is estimated that there are about 500 or so of them in Bangladesh as of now, who chose to shift camps from India to Bangladesh. However, a report dated January 27, 2019 on Scroll.
We wonder, when more than 99 per cent of the border has been fenced with triple concertina wire, how come the Rohingyas in India manage to sneak through the almost impregnable fences? How come these Rohingyas, in the vast expanse of the border, find holes in those fences, which are laid out in layers of three, and cross into Bangladesh escaping BSF notice?
It seems our diplomatic efforts have lost steam. The international community has taken us for granted, happy with the status quo as long as we take care of the refugees. Shifting them to better and more spacious locations in Bangladesh, Bhasan Char and elsewhere, may convey the message that Bangladesh has accepted the fait accompli, that it shall have to lump the refugees for the foreseeable future. The Rohingya issue is no longer the emotive issue it was four or five years ago.
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