Bangladesh: Heavy rain forces Rohingya refugees to relocate

Event

Heavy monsoon rains have inundated parts of southeastern Bangladesh since Saturday, September 16, and are flooding camps of Rohingya refugees near the city of Cox's Bazar. Consequently, Bangladeshi authorities took initial steps to move the tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees from the waterlogged camps to a large camp in Balukhali (Cox's Bazar district). Officials also announced on Wednesday, September 20, that the army would immediately be deployed to the area to build shelters and toilets for the refugees resettling to the new camp.

Cox's Bazar district has received over 21.4 cm (around 8.4 in) of rain since Saturday, and the region is threatened with continued flooding and landslides as additional rainfall is forecast in the coming days.

Context

The Burmese army began a crackdown on the Rohingya community following a Rohingya militant attack on Burmese security forces on August 25. Since late August, the Burmese military and security forces have reportedly killed at least 400 Rohingya people, and instigated the exodus of over 400,000 more to Bangladesh. The humanitarian situation facing Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh is dire: on September 15, aid groups reported that one woman and two children were killed in a human stampede that broke out as aid was being distributed in Balukhali Pan Bazar.

On September 6, officials in Bangladesh accused Myanmar forces of laying landmines along the border with Bangladesh in Rakhine state to prevent refugees from returning to the country.

The persecution of the Rohingya people in Myanmar has drawn international criticism for alleged human rights violations. The current clashes and ensuing government crackdown are the result of months of simmering violence and ethnic tensions between the Buddhist majority and Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar.

Human rights groups have accused the Burmese army of committing crimes against humanity, and possibly ethnic cleansing, during their crackdown operations, including rape, torture, the destruction thousands of homes, and killing civilians. The UN has established a fact-finding mission to investigate crimes against humanity allegedly committed by the military during the counteroffensive.

Advice

Individuals present in Bangladesh, and especially near the Burmese border, are advised to monitor the situation, exercise caution, and avoid all demonstrations and political gatherings due to the possibility of violence. Follow all instructions issued by the local authorities.

Remember that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult - and that floodwater may contain wastewater or chemical products; all items having come into contact with the water should be disinfected and all foodstuffs discarded.

Furthermore, due to the high risk of terrorism in Bangladesh, exercise vigilance when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.) and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities.