Bangladesh's rohingya refugees camp reports it's 1st COVID-19 case. Rohingya refugee tests positive in crowded cox's bazar camp.

Bangladesh: Rohingya refugees report 1st COVID-19 case

Bangladesh's Rohingya refugees camp confirmed its first COVID-19 case. Nearly 2,000 refugees are now being isolated. Watch this video to know more.

Bangladesh: Rohingya refugee tests positive in crowded Cox's Bazar camp

In a crystal clear picture, Bangladesh was in no hurry to relocate the 1,00,000 Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char, the floating island in the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh wishes to shelter just a 'fraction' of nearly 1 million <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-president-xi-jinping-to-visit-myanmar-today-with-bri-on-agenda-274811">Rohingya</a> Muslims in Bhasan Char which has now, its flood protection embankments, hospitals, mosques along with residential space. However, dates for the relocation of the refugees who fled from violent persecution are yet to be announced.

The refugee, relief and repatriation commissioner of Bangladesh, Mahbub Alam Talukder said, “Bhasan Char is ready for habitation. Everything has been put in place.”

This move came after the world body, the United Nations called for a thorough assessment to ensure the viability of the move, saying it was discussing "critical protection and operational issues" ahead of any relocation.

As of now, Bangladesh has prohibited foreign media entities from visiting the island.

A local freelance journalist Saleh Noman who recently visited Bhasan Char described that a community is shaping -up there.

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ইউএনএইচসিআরের সহায়তায় পাল্টে গেছে গ্রামীণ চিত্র 
 
রোহিঙ্গাদের পাশাপাশি স্থানীয়দের জন্য শিক্ষা ,যোগাযোগ, বাসস্থানসহ বিভিন্ন্ ধরনের সাহাজ্য সহযোগিতা করে আসছে আর্ন্তজাতিক সংস্থা ইউএনএইচসিআর সহ বিভিন্ন আইএনজিও গুলো।<a href="https://t.co/sgwhAwfX47">https://t.co/sgwhAwfX47</a>ইউএনএইচসিআরের-সহায়তায়/ <a href="https://t.co/Xc1O4EWKCs">pic.twitter.com/Xc1O4EWKCs</a>
— UNHCR in Bangladesh (@UNHCR_BGD) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNHCR_BGD/status/1214061558176899073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“I saw a market with about 10 grocery shops and roadside tea stalls. Some were selling fish and vegetables,” he said. “All is set there with a solar power system and water supply lines.”

The island is 21 miles ahead of the mainland of Bangladesh and had never been inhabited. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-has-softened-stance-following-icj-hearing-bangladesh-foreign-minister-268492">Bangladesh</a> is itself a low-lying delta nation prone to the tidal phenomenon.&nbsp;

The naval forces of Bangladesh have been trying their best to implement a multimillion-dollar plan to bolster the two-decades-old swampy island, which gets regularly submerged during the annual monsoon season.&nbsp;

International-aid authorities including the United Nations have expressed their vehement opposition since the plan to relocate was introduced back in 2015.

According to the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Bangladesh, Mostofa Mohammad Sazzad Hossain, the world body isn't ready to endorse the relocation and is waiting for a chance to visit the island after a November trip was canceled.

"The UN has emphasized the importance of undertaking independent and thorough technical and protection assessments that consider safety, sustainability, and protection issues prior to any relocation taking into place. The assessment process should include onsite visits to Bhasan Char,” Hossain said.&nbsp;

Most of the refugee camps that have been set up now in the beach town of Cox Bazar are overcrowded and unhygienic with diseases and organized crimes at rampant levels. Education is said to be very limited and there is no employment opportunity is available for the refugees.

Still, many Rohingyans are unwilling to return to their native lands in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-ready-to-go-back-rohingya-refugees-meet-with-myanmar-delegates-269053">Myanmar</a> due to safety concerns. Government officials still do not have an estimate of how many refugees would be willing to be relocated to the island.

On the condition of anonymity, two Bangladeshi contractors spoke to media representatives and gave an update on the development of the island.&nbsp;

“We have built quality infrastructure. Bangladeshi villages have never seen such good work. This is like a modern township project,” one contractor said.

“We have built multi-family concrete homes, hospitals, mosques, schools, playgrounds, and roads. There are solar-power facilities, a water supply system. We constructed raised concrete buildings that could be used as cyclone shelters. Many trees have been planted,” he said.

Bangladesh is in constant talks with UN humanitarian bodies, and working on their observations, said Enamur Rahman, the junior minister for disaster management and relief. "So we are going a little slow. There's no exact date to relocate," he added.

Amid of UN concerns over the relocation issues, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly told the UN and other international partners that her administration will consult them before making a final decision on the relocation and that no refugees will be forced to move.

Within an 'unsuccessful' bilateral framework, Bangladesh tried its best to send the Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar but no one was actually willing to go as Rohingya are not considered as citizens of Myanmar&nbsp;

The Rohingya are not recognized as citizens in Myanmar, rendering them stateless, and face other forms of state-sanctioned discrimination.

A UN-sponsored investigation in 2018 recommended the prosecution of Myanmar’s top military commanders on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for the violence perpetrated against the Rohingya.

Myanmar is defending itself in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/icj-ruling-on-urgent-measures-in-rohingya-case-on-january-23-gambia-274450">International Court of Justice</a> in the Hague, Netherlands, after the West African nation of Gambia brought a case backed by the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, Canada and the Netherlands.

The Gambia in its submission said there was a “serious and imminent risk of genocide recurring” and called for emergency measures to prevent Myanmar from committing any further atrocities or erasing any evidence. The court is expected to deliver a decision on January&nbsp;23 on what measures should be imposed.

Kamal Hossain, Bangladesh's top government official in Cox’s Bazar, said Thursday that discussions attempting to convince refugee families to move to the island are continuing. “We are ready. This is a continuous process,” he said.

"We are not in a hurry and it will start only when all these UN bodies and Rohingya people feel the area is ready."

Rahman said the government was working to build more cyclone shelters on the island, which is hours from the mainland by boat. Many Rohingya have opposed the transfer plan.

A World Food Programme document shows the UN's food agency supplied <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/as-wider-trade-dispute-looms-malaysia-talks-to-india-over-palm-curbs-274679">Bangladesh</a> with detailed plans, including a timeline and a budget, on providing for thousands of Rohingya taken to the island within weeks.

Densely-populated Bangladesh says it has been grappling with the large refugee numbers.

The number of refugees in Cox's Bazar has swelled since August 2017, when a Myanmar military-led crackdown that UN investigators have said was conducted with "genocidal intent" prompted some 730,000 Rohingya to flee.

Buddhist-majority <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/chinas-president-xi-jinping-arrives-in-myanmar-seeking-to-push-belt-and-road-project-274887">Myanmar</a> has denied almost all accusations of atrocities made by refugees, saying its security forces engaged in a legitimate counterterrorism operation.

In a crystal clear picture, Bangladesh was in no hurry to relocate the 1,00,000 Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char, the floating island in the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh wishes to shelter just a 'fraction' of nearly 1 million Rohingya Muslims in Bhasan Char which has now, its flood protection embankments, hospitals, mosques along with residential space.

In a crystal clear picture, Bangladesh was in no hurry to relocate the 1,00,000 Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char, the floating island in the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh wishes to shelter just a 'fraction' of nearly 1 million Rohingya Muslims in Bhasan Char which has now, its flood protection embankments, hospitals, mosques along with residential space. However, dates for the relocation of the refugees who fled from violent persecution are yet to be announced. The refugee, relief and repatriation commissioner of Bangladesh, Mahbub Alam Talukder said, “Bhasan Char is ready for habitation. Everything has been put in place.” This move came after the world body, the United Nations called for a thorough assessment to ensure the viability of the move, saying it was discussing "critical protection and operational issues" ahead of any relocation. As of now, Bangladesh has prohibited foreign media entities from visiting the island. A local freelance journalist Saleh Noman who recently visited Bhasan Char described that a community is shaping -up there. ইউএনএইচসিআরের সহায়তায় পাল্টে গেছে গ্রামীণ চিত্র রোহিঙ্গাদের পাশাপাশি স্থানীয়দের জন্য শিক্ষা ,যোগাযোগ, বাসস্থানসহ বিভিন্ন্ ধরনের সাহাজ্য সহযোগিতা করে আসছে আর্ন্তজাতিক সংস্থা ইউএনএইচসিআর সহ বিভিন্ন আইএনজিও গুলো।https://t.co/sgwhAwfX47ইউএনএইচসিআরের-সহায়তায়/ pic.twitter.com/Xc1O4EWKCs — UNHCR in Bangladesh (@UNHCR_BGD) January 6, 2020 × “I saw a market with about 10 grocery shops and roadside tea stalls. Some were selling fish and vegetables,” he said. “All is set there with a solar power system and water supply lines.” The island is 21 miles ahead of the mainland of Bangladesh and had never been inhabited. Bangladesh is itself a low-lying delta nation prone to the tidal phenomenon. The naval forces of Bangladesh have been trying their best to implement a multimillion-dollar plan to bolster the two-decades-old swampy island, which gets regularly submerged during the annual monsoon season. International-aid authorities including the United Nations have expressed their vehement opposition since the plan to relocate was introduced back in 2015. According to the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Bangladesh, Mostofa Mohammad Sazzad Hossain, the world body isn't ready to endorse the relocation and is waiting for a chance to visit the island after a November trip was canceled. "The UN has emphasized the importance of undertaking independent and thorough technical and protection assessments that consider safety, sustainability, and protection issues prior to any relocation taking into place. The assessment process should include onsite visits to Bhasan Char,” Hossain said. Most of the refugee camps that have been set up now in the beach town of Cox Bazar are overcrowded and unhygienic with diseases and organized crimes at rampant levels. Education is said to be very limited and there is no employment opportunity is available for the refugees. Still, many Rohingyans are unwilling to return to their native lands in Myanmar due to safety concerns. Government officials still do not have an estimate of how many refugees would be willing to be relocated to the island. On the condition of anonymity, two Bangladeshi contractors spoke to media representatives and gave an update on the development of the island. “We have built quality infrastructure. Bangladeshi villages have never seen such good work. This is like a modern township project,” one contractor said. “We have built multi-family concrete homes, hospitals, mosques, schools, playgrounds, and roads. There are solar-power facilities, a water supply system. We constructed raised concrete buildings that could be used as cyclone shelters. Many trees have been planted,” he said. Bangladesh is in constant talks with UN humanitarian bodies, and working on their observations, said Enamur Rahman, the junior minister for disaster management and relief. "So we are going a little slow. There's no exact date to relocate," he added. Amid of UN concerns over the relocation issues, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly told the UN and other international partners that her administration will consult them before making a final decision on the relocation and that no refugees will be forced to move. Within an 'unsuccessful' bilateral framework, Bangladesh tried its best to send the Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar but no one was actually willing to go as Rohingya are not considered as citizens of Myanmar The Rohingya are not recognized as citizens in Myanmar, rendering them stateless, and face other forms of state-sanctioned discrimination. A UN-sponsored investigation in 2018 recommended the prosecution of Myanmar’s top military commanders on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for the violence perpetrated against the Rohingya. Myanmar is defending itself in the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Netherlands, after the West African nation of Gambia brought a case backed by the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, Canada and the Netherlands. The Gambia in its submission said there was a “serious and imminent risk of genocide recurring” and called for emergency measures to prevent Myanmar from committing any further atrocities or erasing any evidence. The court is expected to deliver a decision on January 23 on what measures should be imposed. Kamal Hossain, Bangladesh's top government official in Cox’s Bazar, said Thursday that discussions attempting to convince refugee families to move to the island are continuing. “We are ready. This is a continuous process,” he said. "We are not in a hurry and it will start only when all these UN bodies and Rohingya people feel the area is ready." Rahman said the government was working to build more cyclone shelters on the island, which is hours from the mainland by boat. Many Rohingya have opposed the transfer plan. A World Food Programme document shows the UN's food agency supplied Bangladesh with detailed plans, including a timeline and a budget, on providing for thousands of Rohingya taken to the island within weeks. Densely-populated Bangladesh says it has been grappling with the large refugee numbers. The number of refugees in Cox's Bazar has swelled since August 2017, when a Myanmar military-led crackdown that UN investigators have said was conducted with "genocidal intent" prompted some 730,000 Rohingya to flee. Buddhist-majority Myanmar has denied almost all accusations of atrocities made by refugees, saying its security forces engaged in a legitimate counterterrorism operation.

Bangladesh: Once submerged island ready to house 1,00,000 Rohingyas

A delegation of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/why-aung-san-suu-kyi-is-in-the-hague-defending-myanmar-against-allegations-of-genocide-267828">Myanmar</a> officials visited the sprawling Bangladeshi refugee camps on Wednesday (December 18), where they spoke to several dozen Rohingya refugees in an effort to kickstart a process to repatriate them.

Myanmar says it has been ready to accept back the refugees since January last year and has built camps near the border to receive them.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-seizes-boat-carrying-173-rohingya-muslims-military-spokesman-268720">Rohingya</a> leaders say they want Myanmar to recognise them as an ethnic group with the right to Myanmar citizenship before they return. Rohingya representatives said no progress had been made at Wednesday's talks.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who remain inside Myanmar are mostly denied citizenship and live in conditions Amnesty International has likened to apartheid, confined to camps and villages and unable to travel freely.

Myanmar does not consider the Rohingya a native ethnic group. Many in the Buddhist-majority country call the Rohingya "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-has-softened-stance-following-icj-hearing-bangladesh-foreign-minister-268492">Bengalis</a>", suggesting they belong in Bangladesh.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-aung-san-suu-kyi-warns-genocide-case-could-reignite-rohingya-crisis-268065">Gambia</a> accused Myanmar of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention over a military campaign that drove more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh. It has asked the International Court of Justice to order "provisional measures" to prevent more harm.

A delegation of Myanmar officials visited the sprawling Bangladeshi refugee camps on Wednesday (December 18), where they spoke to several dozen Rohingya refugees in an effort to kickstart a process to repatriate them.

A delegation of Myanmar officials visited the sprawling Bangladeshi refugee camps on Wednesday (December 18), where they spoke to several dozen Rohingya refugees in an effort to kickstart a process to repatriate them. Myanmar says it has been ready to accept back the refugees since January last year and has built camps near the border to receive them. Rohingya leaders say they want Myanmar to recognise them as an ethnic group with the right to Myanmar citizenship before they return. Rohingya representatives said no progress had been made at Wednesday's talks. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who remain inside Myanmar are mostly denied citizenship and live in conditions Amnesty International has likened to apartheid, confined to camps and villages and unable to travel freely. Myanmar does not consider the Rohingya a native ethnic group. Many in the Buddhist-majority country call the Rohingya "Bengalis", suggesting they belong in Bangladesh. Gambia accused Myanmar of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention over a military campaign that drove more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh. It has asked the International Court of Justice to order "provisional measures" to prevent more harm.

'We are ready to go back': Rohingya refugees meet with Myanmar delegates

India has begun its fourth tranche of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingya-sent-back-to-myanmar-camps-hungry-and-in-debt-182279">relief assistance to Rohingya refugees </a>sheltered in Bangladesh's Cox Bazar as part of "Operation Insaniyat" which began in September 2017.&nbsp;

The total aid in the fourth tranche would include 2,25,000 blankets, 2,00,000 woollen sweaters and 500 solar street lights. The new tranche is the result of a specific request made to the minister for disaster management and relief.&nbsp;

In a release, Indian High Commission to Bangladesh said:&nbsp;"As a special gesture, India is making available a part of the consignment of blankets and sweaters for distribution to vulnerable sections of the local community in Cox’s Bazar."

The material includes the latest consignment of assistance for displaced persons for the winter, while the solar street lights are meant to ensure environment-friendly lighting solutions for the camps.

The release by High Commission added that the aid "is part of India’s continuing partnership and support for Bangladesh especially in sharing the burden imposed upon it because of the influx of a large number of displaced persons from Rakhine State in Myanmar."&nbsp;

The distribution of aid began from Monday by the refugee, relief and repatriation commissioner of Bangladesh.

The first tranche under "Operation Insaniyat" in September last year&nbsp;comprised of 981 metric tonnes&nbsp;(MT) of relief supplies, including family packs of rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready-to-eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets among other relief services.&nbsp;

The second tranche was delivered in May 2018 with 373 MT&nbsp;of relief material. The consignment included 104 MT of milk powder, 102 MT of dried fish, 61 MT of baby food, 50,000 raincoats, and 50,000 pairs of gumboots.&nbsp;

The third consignment was provided in September 2018, where India handed over 1.1 million litres of SKO (super kerosene oil) and 20,000 kerosene multi-wick stoves.&nbsp;

India has been calling on Myanmar and Bangladesh to implement the Rohingya repatriation agreement.

Recently, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said:"Government of India has noted that governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar have recently reached a bilateral understanding and obviously as the only country that neighbours both Bangladesh and Myanmar, we believe it is in our interest and in the interest of the region that this bilateral understanding is implemented as soon as possible and that the displaced persons return to their homeland as soon as possible."

Late last year India had signed the Rakhine State Development Program with Myanmar. The program is designed to assist the government of Myanmar in Rakhine State to build housing infrastructure for the return of displaced persons.

India has begun its fourth tranche of relief assistance to Rohingya refugees sheltered in Bangladesh's Cox Bazar as part of "Operation Insaniyat" which began in September 2017.

India has begun its fourth tranche of relief assistance to Rohingya refugees sheltered in Bangladesh's Cox Bazar as part of "Operation Insaniyat" which began in September 2017. The total aid in the fourth tranche would include 2,25,000 blankets, 2,00,000 woollen sweaters and 500 solar street lights. The new tranche is the result of a specific request made to the minister for disaster management and relief. In a release, Indian High Commission to Bangladesh said: "As a special gesture, India is making available a part of the consignment of blankets and sweaters for distribution to vulnerable sections of the local community in Cox’s Bazar." The material includes the latest consignment of assistance for displaced persons for the winter, while the solar street lights are meant to ensure environment-friendly lighting solutions for the camps. The release by High Commission added that the aid "is part of India’s continuing partnership and support for Bangladesh especially in sharing the burden imposed upon it because of the influx of a large number of displaced persons from Rakhine State in Myanmar." The distribution of aid began from Monday by the refugee, relief and repatriation commissioner of Bangladesh. The first tranche under "Operation Insaniyat" in September last year comprised of 981 metric tonnes (MT) of relief supplies, including family packs of rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready-to-eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets among other relief services. The second tranche was delivered in May 2018 with 373 MT of relief material. The consignment included 104 MT of milk powder, 102 MT of dried fish, 61 MT of baby food, 50,000 raincoats, and 50,000 pairs of gumboots. The third consignment was provided in September 2018, where India handed over 1.1 million litres of SKO (super kerosene oil) and 20,000 kerosene multi-wick stoves. India has been calling on Myanmar and Bangladesh to implement the Rohingya repatriation agreement. Recently, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said:"Government of India has noted that governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar have recently reached a bilateral understanding and obviously as the only country that neighbours both Bangladesh and Myanmar, we believe it is in our interest and in the interest of the region that this bilateral understanding is implemented as soon as possible and that the displaced persons return to their homeland as soon as possible." Late last year India had signed the Rakhine State Development Program with Myanmar. The program is designed to assist the government of Myanmar in Rakhine State to build housing infrastructure for the return of displaced persons.

India sends another tranche of relief assistance to Rohingyas in Bangladesh

Myanmar’s Minister for Religion on Tuesday said<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-faces-refugee-anger-over-term-rohingya-officials-stopped-sharing-family-information-with-myanmar-179577"> Rohingya</a> Muslim refugees living in neighbouring <a href="http://www.wionews.com/bangladesh">Bangladesh</a> are being "brainwashed" into "marching" on the Buddhist-majority nation, amid a diplomatic feud over the fate of the persecuted minority.

More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar’s Rakhine state in the wake of a brutal army crackdown last August, UN&nbsp;agencies say, and are now living in crowded Bangladeshi refugee camps.

UN&nbsp;investigators have accused Myanmar soldiers of carrying out mass killings, rapes and burning hundreds of villages with "genocidal intent".

Myanmar denies most of the allegations.

Thura Aung Ko said Bangladesh was "not letting them return", referring to the Rohingya as "Bengalis", a term commonly used in Myanmar to imply that they are recent interlopers from Bangladesh. Rohingya say they are native to Rakhine state.

"If [they] release them, the population will drop," he said in a video shared by NewsWatch, a news website. "And then, they, at the camps, also feed and brainwash Bengali youths to truly march. They will march on Myanmar. The future goal of those overpopulated Bengalis is to march on Myanmar."

Plans to repatriate an initial group of 2,260 Rohingya from the camps last month were scuppered after none of the refugees agreed to go back, saying they wanted guarantees of safety and citizenship.

Thura Aung Ko, a former general who was appointed to the cabinet by Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi after she came to power in 2016, was expanding on comments he made at the funeral of a prominent monk last week. On November 27, he expounded on birth rates among members of an unnamed "extreme religion" and the threat it posed to Buddhism in Myanmar.

"While we Buddhists practise monogamy and have only one or two children, an extreme religion encourages to have three or four wives and give birth to 15 to 20 children," he said in a video published by Radio Free Asia. "After three, four, five decades in this Buddhist country, the Buddhist community will certainly become the minority."

On Tuesday, he clarified: "In fact, ‘other religion’ means Bengalis."

San Aung, the chairman of an Islamic society based in Yangon, told Reuters by phone the comments were "very sad".

Myanmar’s Minister for Religion on Tuesday said Rohingya Muslim refugees living in neighbouring Bangladesh are being "brainwashed" into "marching" on the Buddhist-majority nation, amid a diplomatic feud over the fate of the persecuted minority.

Myanmar’s Minister for Religion on Tuesday said Rohingya Muslim refugees living in neighbouring Bangladesh are being "brainwashed" into "marching" on the Buddhist-majority nation, amid a diplomatic feud over the fate of the persecuted minority. More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar’s Rakhine state in the wake of a brutal army crackdown last August, UN agencies say, and are now living in crowded Bangladeshi refugee camps. UN investigators have accused Myanmar soldiers of carrying out mass killings, rapes and burning hundreds of villages with "genocidal intent". Myanmar denies most of the allegations. Thura Aung Ko said Bangladesh was "not letting them return", referring to the Rohingya as "Bengalis", a term commonly used in Myanmar to imply that they are recent interlopers from Bangladesh. Rohingya say they are native to Rakhine state. "If [they] release them, the population will drop," he said in a video shared by NewsWatch, a news website. "And then, they, at the camps, also feed and brainwash Bengali youths to truly march. They will march on Myanmar. The future goal of those overpopulated Bengalis is to march on Myanmar." Plans to repatriate an initial group of 2,260 Rohingya from the camps last month were scuppered after none of the refugees agreed to go back, saying they wanted guarantees of safety and citizenship. Thura Aung Ko, a former general who was appointed to the cabinet by Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi after she came to power in 2016, was expanding on comments he made at the funeral of a prominent monk last week. On November 27, he expounded on birth rates among members of an unnamed "extreme religion" and the threat it posed to Buddhism in Myanmar. "While we Buddhists practise monogamy and have only one or two children, an extreme religion encourages to have three or four wives and give birth to 15 to 20 children," he said in a video published by Radio Free Asia. "After three, four, five decades in this Buddhist country, the Buddhist community will certainly become the minority." On Tuesday, he clarified: "In fact, ‘other religion’ means Bengalis." San Aung, the chairman of an Islamic society based in Yangon, told Reuters by phone the comments were "very sad".

Myanmar religion minister says Rohingya 'brainwashed' to 'march' on country

Facebook Inc on Monday said a human rights report it commissioned on its presence in Myanmar showed it had not done enough to prevent its social network from being used to incite violence.

The report by San Francisco-based nonprofit Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) recommended that Facebook more strictly enforce its content policies, increase engagement with both Myanmar officials and civil society groups and regularly release additional data about its progress in the country.

"The report concludes that, prior to this year, we weren't doing enough to help prevent our platform from being used to foment division and incite offline violence. We agree that we can and should do more," Alex Warofka, a Facebook product policy manager, said in a blog post.

BSR also warned that Facebook must be prepared to handle a likely onslaught of misinformation during Myanmar's 2020 elections, and new problems as use of its WhatsApp grows in Myanmar, according to the report, which Facebook released.

A Reuters special report https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-facebook-hate in August found that Facebook failed to promptly heed numerous warnings from organizations in Myanmar about social media posts fueling attacks on minority groups such as the Rohingya.

In August 2017 the military led a crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents, pushing more than 700,000 Muslims to neighboring Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies.

The social media website in August removed several Myanmar military officials from the platform to prevent the spread of "hate and misinformation," for the first time banning a country's military or political leaders.

It also removed dozens of accounts for engaging in a campaign that "used seemingly independent news and opinion pages to covertly push the messages of the Myanmar military."

The move came hours after United Nations investigators said the army carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Muslim Rohingya with “genocidal intent.”

Facebook said it has begun correcting shortcomings.

Facebook said that it now has 99 Myanmar language specialists reviewing potentially questionable content. In addition, it has expanded use of automated tools to reduce distribution of violent and dehumanizing posts while they undergo review.

In the third quarter, the company said it "took action" on about 64,000 pieces of content that violated its hate speech policies. About 63 percent were identified by automated software, up from 52 percent in the prior quarter.

Facebook has roughly 20 million users in Myanmar, according to BSR, which warned Facebook faces several unresolved challenges in Myanmar.

BSR said locating staff there, for example, could aid in Facebook's understanding of how its services are used locally but said its workers could be targeted by the country's military, which has been accused by the U.N. of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya.

Facebook Inc on Monday said a human rights report it commissioned on its presence in Myanmar showed it had not done enough to prevent its social network from being used to incite violence.

Facebook Inc on Monday said a human rights report it commissioned on its presence in Myanmar showed it had not done enough to prevent its social network from being used to incite violence. The report by San Francisco-based nonprofit Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) recommended that Facebook more strictly enforce its content policies, increase engagement with both Myanmar officials and civil society groups and regularly release additional data about its progress in the country. "The report concludes that, prior to this year, we weren't doing enough to help prevent our platform from being used to foment division and incite offline violence. We agree that we can and should do more," Alex Warofka, a Facebook product policy manager, said in a blog post. BSR also warned that Facebook must be prepared to handle a likely onslaught of misinformation during Myanmar's 2020 elections, and new problems as use of its WhatsApp grows in Myanmar, according to the report, which Facebook released. A Reuters special report https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-facebook-hate in August found that Facebook failed to promptly heed numerous warnings from organizations in Myanmar about social media posts fueling attacks on minority groups such as the Rohingya. In August 2017 the military led a crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents, pushing more than 700,000 Muslims to neighboring Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies. The social media website in August removed several Myanmar military officials from the platform to prevent the spread of "hate and misinformation," for the first time banning a country's military or political leaders. It also removed dozens of accounts for engaging in a campaign that "used seemingly independent news and opinion pages to covertly push the messages of the Myanmar military." The move came hours after United Nations investigators said the army carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Muslim Rohingya with “genocidal intent.” Facebook said it has begun correcting shortcomings. Facebook said that it now has 99 Myanmar language specialists reviewing potentially questionable content. In addition, it has expanded use of automated tools to reduce distribution of violent and dehumanizing posts while they undergo review. In the third quarter, the company said it "took action" on about 64,000 pieces of content that violated its hate speech policies. About 63 percent were identified by automated software, up from 52 percent in the prior quarter. Facebook has roughly 20 million users in Myanmar, according to BSR, which warned Facebook faces several unresolved challenges in Myanmar. BSR said locating staff there, for example, could aid in Facebook's understanding of how its services are used locally but said its workers could be targeted by the country's military, which has been accused by the U.N. of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya.

Facebook says human rights report shows it should do more in Myanmar

Your Story: Rohingya Refugee with a Dream

A boat with 35 Muslim Rohingya refugees on board capsized in Myanmar&#39;s part of the Naf river&nbsp;on Monday&nbsp;morning.

Two of the refugees have been rescued by local fishermen, Bangladesh daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

The refugees were trying to enter Bangladesh, said a survivor named Rehana Begum.

One of the fisherman Suman said he along with other fishermen watched the boat sink and subsequently rescued two people swimming towards the maritime boundary of Bangladesh. The lower half of the Naf river marks the border&nbsp;of Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has deployed its border guards to rescue the missing refugees.

Tens of thousands of Rohingyas have fled Myanmar ever since the army launched a brutal crackdown on them in the restive state of Rakhine.

The impoverished ethnic minority came under intense government scrutiny following coordinated attacks on police border posts in early October. The government suspects the role of Rohingya militias behind the deadly attack.

Muslim Rohingyas have faced persecution and restrictions on movement that many rights activists&nbsp;have likened to apartheid.

People in Myanmar believe the Rohingya are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

(WION)

The refugees were trying to enter Bangladesh, one of the survivors said

A boat with 35 Muslim Rohingya refugees on board capsized in Myanmar's part of the Naf river on Monday morning. Two of the refugees have been rescued by local fishermen, Bangladesh daily Dhaka Tribune reported. The refugees were trying to enter Bangladesh, said a survivor named Rehana Begum. One of the fisherman Suman said he along with other fishermen watched the boat sink and subsequently rescued two people swimming towards the maritime boundary of Bangladesh. The lower half of the Naf river marks the border of Myanmar and Bangladesh. Bangladesh has deployed its border guards to rescue the missing refugees. Tens of thousands of Rohingyas have fled Myanmar ever since the army launched a brutal crackdown on them in the restive state of Rakhine. The impoverished ethnic minority came under intense government scrutiny following coordinated attacks on police border posts in early October. The government suspects the role of Rohingya militias behind the deadly attack. Muslim Rohingyas have faced persecution and restrictions on movement that many rights activists have likened to apartheid. People in Myanmar believe the Rohingya are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. (WION)

33 Rohingya refugees go missing as boat topples in Myanmar river