Activist of a number of Islamic organizations including Chittagong unit of Islam Andolon Bangladesh brought out a procession protesting persecution of Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar government after Jumma prayer in the port city on Friday. The procession was
Several lakh Rohingyas, who have taken shelter in the country's Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Bandarban regions after fleeing their native country to escape persecution there, are creating much trouble as many of them have got engaged with criminal activities. The law and order situation and living environment are being severely hampered in these districts owing to the Rohingya people.
The Rohingyas are involved with arms smuggling, trading of Yaba and drugs and underground political activities here in Bangladesh, law enforcement officials and district administration officials say. Moreover, following the attack on 31 police outposts and one army camp at Rahkaine state in Myanmar on August 25 last, tense situation is prevailing there. Fearing the fresh attack, thousands of Rohingyas have already been gathered at the Bangladesh and Myanmar border area at Teknaf now to enter into the Bangladesh territory.
Meanwhile, several thousands of Rohingyas reportedly entered the Bangladesh territory in last week, said locals. In the mean time, the Additional District Magistrate of Cox's Bazar Khaled Mahmud said, "Cox's Bazar district authority wants to make 50 acres of Balukhali forestland available for Myanmar refugees fleeing a brutal crackdown in Rakhine state. Several thousand refugees who came last year are living there. The ones who are fleeing now will also be allowed to set up makeshift houses to live in there."
"The Rohingya refugees have been asked to take shelter around the older camps instead of being scattered all over the area." Around 125,000 people, mostly Rohingya Muslims, have fled to Bangladesh following renewed violence in Rakhine state, UN workers have said.
They have set up numerous tiny plastic-sheet tents in the five kilometers between Ukhia's Kutup-alang and Thaingkhali. There are similar slums in Teknaf's Howaikyang Union and surrounding places. The refugees have been coming across various border points, locals said. The slums popping up in random places pose a threat to the law and order situation, they said.
On the other hand, the Rohungyas are creating troubles at the locality and mingling with the locals as they can speak in Chittagong's local language. It may be mentioned that law enforcers have arrested many Rohingya criminals for their involvement with the smuggling of arms, yaba and drug so far. According to the sources, on July 10 last, Narcotic Department recovered 2,500 pieces of yaba tablets from a citizen of Myanmar from Shah Amanat Bridge area in the port city. The team of Narcotic Department arrested the said yaba smuggler of Myanmar who used to smuggle yaba regularly. The arrested was identified as Nur Mohammad of Tanarchar of Mongdu in Myanmar.
Sources said, on June 24 last, elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) recovered 15 lakh pieces of yaba tablet and arrested a total of 12 yaba smugglers including five Myanmar citizens from outer anchorage of Chittagong port. The arrested Bangladeshi citizens were identified as Nazir Ahmed (55), Mohammad Hashem (19), Mohammad Sadek (25), Khairul Amin (22), Mohammed Jafar 930), Khokon (25) and Anisur Rahman (18). The arrested Myanmar citizens were Mohammed Selim alias Moloy (20), Nur Alam (25), Saddam Hossain (20), Mohammed Abdul Khalek (24) and Mohammed Ismail (20).
Commanding Officer (CO) of RAB-7 Lt Colonel Miftah Uddin said, "The Myanmar citizens are using the engines of buses or trucks at the wooden boat for speed. As a result, the Myanmar citizen can come to Bangladesh territory easily and returned back within short time after delivering the drugs to the smugglers."
On the other hand, police recovered huge amount of yaba tablets worth around taka 10 crores from a house at Gohira at Roypur village under Anwara upazila on May 16 last. The yaba tablets were recovered from the home of one Abul Kashem of the area. Mohammad Rejaul Masud, additional SP of Chittagong said, "Police is filling a case against the house owner and his son as they are the yaba God Fathers at the Anwara area." "Abul Kashem and his son are involved with the smuggling of yaba from Myanmar and they used to supply the smuggled yaba in Chittagong through Teknaf route," Mohammad Rejaul Masud added.
Meanwhile, on June 7 last, Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) recovered around one lakh pieces of yaba tablet worth around taka three crores from Naf river side at Domdomia at Hnila area at Teknaf in Cox's Bazar. The team also arrested two Myanmar citizens for their alleged involvement with yaba smuggling. The arrested yaba smugglers were Abdur Rahman and Mohammad Jakir of Ashiskkapara area at Mongdu in Akiab in Myanmar.
Besides, during the month of Ramadan, the law enforcing agencies have recovered huge yaba tablets and arrested several smugglers and retail traders of yaba from different spots of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar. Sources said the port city Chittagong and adjoining Cox's Bazar are being used for smuggling of illegal drugs including yaba by at least 20 to 25 syndicates including huge number of Rohinga people.
The elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), BGB, Narcotic Controlling Department (NCD), Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) and police are taking steps to curb the smuggling of contraband drugs including yaba. Despite the special measures of the authorities, smuggling of yaba is rampant through the port city Chittagong and sea city Cox's Bazar.
Sources in the police said Rohingya people harmed the locals with their involvement with crimes and arms trading. Particularly, many Rohingya people were living at the hilly and remote village areas and came to the city areas for committing crimes, he said. "The Rohingya people come here and commitcrimes. Later, they hide themselves in the remote and hilly areas. Some of them are involved with arms and drug trading here.
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