Bangladesh foreign minister Dipu Moni reiterated Bangladesh’s position that Bangladesh will not accept refugees fleeing from Myanmar due to the recent sectarian violence between Muslims and Buddhists. More than 600 hundred refuges tried to cross border in last two days. Human Rights Watch and UNHCR have urged Bangladesh to open its border considering the humanitarian need.
Many Muslim refugees crossed the border in the 90s, but later Myanmar refused to accept many of them. Still there are about thirty thousand refugees and according to unofficial estimation about two lakh refugees are living illegally in Bangladesh, which is itself a poor country and it can’t accept more population.
Many times Bangladeshi officials said UNHCR didn’t do enough to repatriate them. This experience has influenced Bangladesh to take a strict stand.
The Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB), Navy and Coast Guard have increased patrol in the border region. They have restricted boat movement and export and import is suspended.
