Bangladesh calls off Rohingya repatriation after protests

Several thousand Rohingya declined to go back to Myanmar. Pic/AFP

Bangladesh on Thursday called-off its plan to repatriate hundreds of Rohingya refugees in the country after they refused to return to Myanmar where the minority Muslim community feared for their lives.

On Thursday, Bangladesh began preparations to repatriate an initial batch of 2,000 Rohingya Muslims from 485 families to Myanmar, in line with a plan agreed with Myanmar in October.

However, several thousand Rohingya instead staged protests, declining to go back. The Rohingyas staged protest marches demanding realisation of a five-point demand as the precondition that included deployment of UN peacekeeping forces in the Rakhine State to ensure their safety and giving them full citizenship status in Myanmar.

7 lakh
No. of Rohingya who have fled to Myanmar

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