Rohingyas attack foresters after they demolish illegal shelters in Cox’s Bazar

At least 10 foresters have been injured when Rohingyas at a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhia attacked foresters to protest the demolition of several illegal shanties in the surrounding forests.

The incident occurred on Thursday evening near the Kutupalang refugee camp, said Ukhia Range Forestry Department Official Monirul Islam.

Rohingyas have fled across the border to Bangladesh since the Myanmar military began an operation in Rakhine State following the deaths of 9 Myanmar border police in militant attacks on Nov 9, 2016.

Media reports have stated that Rohingyas have begun building illegal shanty houses in the mountainous areas near the registered and unregistered refugee camps in Kutupalang.

According to forestry official Monirul, foresters have demolished at least eighty shanty houses in the mountain forests during a raid some two kilometers south of the Kutupalang refugee camp.

“Over 200 Rohingyas began throwing stones at the foresters as they were returning from the raid,” Monirul said. “The foresters had to fire a set of blanks in self-defense. At least 10 foresters were injured in the incident.”

The injured were sent for treatment to various local medical clinics, he said.

Foresters had also been attacked a few days ago after the demolition of Rohingya residences in the forests of the nearby Palangkhali Union, said Monirul.

The forestry official alleges that Rohingyas are attempting to build shanties in the region with the help of local representatives Rajapalang Union Parishad Member Bakhtiar Ahmed and Palankhali Union Parishad Member Mohammad Amchar.

Ukhia Sadar Forest Beat Official Abdul Mannan, who was injured in the attack, said the Forestry Department has conducted planned forest development work in the region since 1997-1998.

Preparations are being made to file a case over the attack at the Ukhia Police Station.

Ukhia police OC Md Abul Khaer said that he had heard of the incident and that police would prepare to investigate it once a formal complaint was filed.