Arakan News Agency
The influx of Rohingyas into the country along Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Ukhiya upazila has seen a sudden rise following the reopening of the labour market of Saudi Arabia for Bangladesh nationals, according to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials.
In the first two months this year, members of BGB had to push back some 2,500 Rohinghyas to Myanmar along the 76-km stretch of the Bangladesh-Myanmar land-border under Ukhiya, whereas from January to December last year the number of pushed back Rohingyas were 5,000.
Talking to UNB, Cox’s Bazar BGB Battalion-17 commanding officer Lt Col Saiful Islam Khan said, “The number of Rohingyas trying to enter Bangladesh through the land-border in Ukhiya has increased greatly over the last month following the reopening of Saudi labour market.”
Assisted by a local human trafficking cartel, Rohingyas are taking their chances to enter Bangladesh in a bid to migrate to Saudi Arabia posing as Bangladesh nationals, he added.
According to a recent study by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) of Dhaka University, Rohingyas from Myanmar use Bangladesh as the transit point for going to Malaysia by sea or to India by land.
The study says Malaysia is the most important destination for Rohingyas followed by Saudi Arabia.
Source : observerbd
