Stand by Myanmar Rohingyas, BNP urges government

The BNP has urged the government to stand by the Rohingya Muslims, who have been fleeing Myanmar amid escalating violence.

"Rohingya's are drowning while trying to flee violence. The government is not allowing them to enter," senior leader Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told a discussion on Saturday.

The Myanmar army started a massive crackdown against the Rohingyas in Rakhine state after nine police officers were killed in three police outposts along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border on Oct 9.

Authorities have confirmed 86 deaths and said that 69 of them were suspected militants. Rights groups claim the number of Rohingyas killed are much higher and many of them were civilians.

Hundreds of Rohingyas are trying to cross the border into Bangladesh amid escalating violence. But the Myanmar government denies that Rohingya are fleeing due to its brutal crackdown.

BNP Standing Committee member Khandker Mosharraf said on Saturday that Bangladesh should 'temporarily' allow the Myanmar Rohingyas to cross the border.

"Either the government has to speak with Myanmar and get it to stop the killing or it needs to allow temporary shelter for them. We hope the government will stand by the Rohingyas" he said.

The Myanmar army has declared the Muslim Rohingya-majority northern Rakhine as an "operations zone", where it claims to be battling Islamist insurgents.

Journalists from home and abroad have been prevented from visiting the area.

The 1.1 million Rohingyas are seen as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh by many of the country's majority Buddhists.

They are denied citizenship and they face severe restrictions on their travel.

Up to 30,000 people have been estimated to have been displaced and thousands more affected by the recent fighting in Rakhine State, the UN has said.