New Rohingya refugees from Myanmar spreading further inside Bangladesh

The residents of Cox's Bazar have extended their good will to the persecuted Rohingyas pouring in from strife-torn Myanmar, but with a creeping fear that the refugees may spread all over the south-eastern Bangladesh districts.

They say, given the situation inside Myanmar, the Rohingya refugees' stay in Bangladesh may be a prolonged one or eventually be permanent unless Bangladesh authorities can take immediate measures to send them back.

The only permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis is to send them back to Myanmar before they spread all over the country, the locals believe.

Mahbubur Rahman, mayor of Cox's Bazar Municipality, said an estimated 10,000 newly arrived Rohingyas have already taken shelter in the beach town, while many others have moved to Chittagong, Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrhachharhi.

Additional District Magistrate Khaled Mahmud said the authorities started working to "stop the Rohingyas from getting mixed up with Bangladeshis."

"We will register them with their biometric details at 17 points," he said.

He also said they would strengthen monitoring on Sunday to stop the Rohingyas from spreading to other parts of the country.

According to the UN, around 290,000 Rohingyas had entered Bangladesh since Aug 25, when the Myanmar Army launched a counter-offensive in response to attacks on police posts and an army base in Rakhine.

Rohingyas of Myanmar have been taking refuge in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for decades. The estimated number of Rohingyas already living in refugee camps in Bangladesh is around 500,000.

The authorities in Cox's Bazar have strengthened security following the new wave of Rohingya influx.

Security personnel were seen patrolling the streets in the district, especially at Teknaf Upazila near the border with Myanmar on Saturday.

The authorities claim the new refugees are not being allowed to cross Ukhia, but many Rohingyas are reportedly entering further into Bangladesh.

 Many of them were seen travelling towards the beach town of Cox's Bazar by transports on Saturday.

Locals said the Rohingyas, who have money, do not face any problem to travel to any part of Bangladesh.

Cox's Bazar Mayor Mahbubur said, "We let them enter because on humanitarian grounds. But they are spreading. We estimate more than 10,000 of the newly arrived Rohingyas have taken refuge in Cox's Bazar (municipality). Many have gone to the three hill tract districts and some to Chittagong city."

He said the Rohingyas were already staying in his municipality were sheltering the recently arrived refugees. "That's why we can't identify them easily."

"We demand to keep them in Teknaf and Ukhia near the border," he added.

Salima Khatun, a Rohingya woman from Akiyab in Rakhine, said the widow of one of her relatives killed in the recent violence in the Myanmar state moved to Cox's Bazar town.

Sharif Hossain, a Rohingya man from Maungdaw in Myanmar, was walking towards Kutupalong refugee camp in Teknaf from Ukhia.

He said he tried to go to Cox's Bazar but Border Guard Bangladesh personnel stopped him at Ukhia.

He said he could have managed transports to Cox's Bazar if he had enough money.