Myanmar's military is expected to challenge the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice on allegations of a Rohingya genocide.

Myanmar's military to challenge the jurisdiction of the ICJ on Rohingya genocide

Thousands of people have been left homeless after fire gutted parts of a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh here's a report

Fire swept through a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh

Thousands of people have been left homeless after a fire gutted parts of a Rohingya camp a refugee camp in Bangladesh.

Massive blaze hits Rohingya camp; hundreds of homes destroyed, thousands fled for life | World News

Indonesia's navy has rescued more than 100 Rohingya asylum seekers who have been adrift on a sinking boat off the country's western coast, bringing them to a temporary place.

Indonesia yields after international calls as it rescues over 100 Rohingya refugees

Indonesia rescues over 100 Rohingya refugees adrift sinking boat

Rohingya refugees in Myanmar have filed a lawsuit against Meta Inc over its failure to keep a check on hate speech and violence.

According to the complaint, ''Facebook is like a robot programmed with a singular mission: to grow. And the undeniable reality is that Facebook’s growth, fueled by hate, division, and misinformation, has left hundreds of thousands of devastated Rohingya lives in its wake.''

The Rohingyas are seeking punitive damages in the $150 billion lawsuit for being responsible of the genocide that uprooted their lives.

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In response, a Meta spokesman said ''We’ve built a dedicated team of Burmese speakers, banned the Tatmadaw, disrupted networks manipulating public debate, and taken action on harmful misinformation to help keep people safe.''

&nbsp;''We've also invested in Burmese-language technology to reduce the prevalence of violating content. This work is guided by feedback from experts, civil society organizations, and independent reports, including the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar’s findings and the independent Human Rights Impact Assessment we commissioned and released in 2018.''

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Facebook plays an outsized role in Myanmar as the dominant internet channel and remains widely used by both protesters against military rule and soldiers.

The company had announced that would ban all Myanmar-military-controlled businesses from having a presence on its platforms.

Rafael Frankel, Meta's Pacific director of public policy for emerging countries, Asia Pacific said "This action is based on extensive documentation by the international community and civil society of these businesses' direct role in funding the Tatmadaw."

Radical Buddhist nationalists and military members had used the platform to fan a campaign of violence towards the Rohingya in 2018 as per UN human rights investigators. Around 700,000 refugees had fled an army crackdown in 2017.

(With inputs from agencies)

Rohingya refugees in Myanmar have filed a lawsuit against Meta Inc over its failure to keep a check on hate speech and violence. According to the complaint, ''Facebook is like a robot programmed with a singular mission: to grow.

Rohingya refugees in Myanmar have filed a lawsuit against Meta Inc over its failure to keep a check on hate speech and violence. According to the complaint, ''Facebook is like a robot programmed with a singular mission: to grow. And the undeniable reality is that Facebook’s growth, fueled by hate, division, and misinformation, has left hundreds of thousands of devastated Rohingya lives in its wake.'' The Rohingyas are seeking punitive damages in the $150 billion lawsuit for being responsible of the genocide that uprooted their lives. Also read | General behind Myanmar Coup is Aung San Suu Kyi's longtime rival In response, a Meta spokesman said ''We’ve built a dedicated team of Burmese speakers, banned the Tatmadaw, disrupted networks manipulating public debate, and taken action on harmful misinformation to help keep people safe.'' ''We've also invested in Burmese-language technology to reduce the prevalence of violating content. This work is guided by feedback from experts, civil society organizations, and independent reports, including the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar’s findings and the independent Human Rights Impact Assessment we commissioned and released in 2018.'' Also read | Meta launches StopNCII.org to put a stop on revenge porn Facebook plays an outsized role in Myanmar as the dominant internet channel and remains widely used by both protesters against military rule and soldiers. The company had announced that would ban all Myanmar-military-controlled businesses from having a presence on its platforms. Rafael Frankel, Meta's Pacific director of public policy for emerging countries, Asia Pacific said "This action is based on extensive documentation by the international community and civil society of these businesses' direct role in funding the Tatmadaw." Radical Buddhist nationalists and military members had used the platform to fan a campaign of violence towards the Rohingya in 2018 as per UN human rights investigators. Around 700,000 refugees had fled an army crackdown in 2017. (With inputs from agencies)

Rohingya refugees sue Meta for $150 billion over failure to curb hate speech

Thousands of Rohingya refugees in the United Kingdom and the United States have filed a $150 billion lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc, formerly known as Facebook, for enabling hate speech against them that led to violence against the persecuted minority.

Rohingya Muslims sue social media giant Facebook for $150 billion for allowing hate speech

According to a UK-based Rohingya advocacy group, an Argentine&nbsp;court is set to conduct a case over the persecution of the Rohingyas.

The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) while calling it a "historic step" said the case against the Myanmar military includes Min Aung Hlaing and the current junta’s senior leadership.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fear-stalks-rohingya-refugee-camps-after-murders-427108">Also Read:&nbsp;Fear stalks Rohingya refugee camps after murders</a>

The federal court in Buenos Aires had confirmed to launch the case against senior Myanmar officials under the principle of universal jurisdiction, it said.

The group had earlier petitioned the court in November 2019. "Under the principle of universal jurisdiction such crimes can be investigated anywhere in the world regardless of where they were committed," the group said.

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The Argentine court will reportedly investigate the "full range of crimes committed against the Rohingyas in Myanmar".

The Rohingya victims&nbsp;are also set to appear in court to testify. The case relates to the crackdown on Rohingyas in 2017 which had led over 730,000 people to flee the country into Bangladesh as Myanmar's armed forces allegedly targeted the Rohingyas in Rakhine state.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-16-rohingya-arrested-in-anti-militant-crackdown-419721">Also Read|&nbsp;Bangladesh: 16 Rohingya arrested in anti-militant crackdown</a>

There were widespread reports of alleged atrocities committed by Myanmar's military against the Rohingyas which had led to worldwide condemnation. The UN had called the persecution&nbsp;genocide as thousands of men, women and children were displaced.

The UN Security Council had recently expressed concern over clashes between the military and militants from various groups in the Rakhine state which had hampered the return of Rohingyas.

(With inputs from Agencies)

According to a UK-based Rohingya advocacy group, an Argentine court is set to conduct a case over the persecution of the Rohingyas. The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) while calling it a "historic step" said the case against the Myanmar military includes Min Aung Hlaing and the current junta’s senior leadership.

According to a UK-based Rohingya advocacy group, an Argentine court is set to conduct a case over the persecution of the Rohingyas. The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) while calling it a "historic step" said the case against the Myanmar military includes Min Aung Hlaing and the current junta’s senior leadership. Also Read: Fear stalks Rohingya refugee camps after murders The federal court in Buenos Aires had confirmed to launch the case against senior Myanmar officials under the principle of universal jurisdiction, it said. The group had earlier petitioned the court in November 2019. "Under the principle of universal jurisdiction such crimes can be investigated anywhere in the world regardless of where they were committed," the group said. Also Read: Seven killed in Bangladesh Rohingya refugee camp attack The Argentine court will reportedly investigate the "full range of crimes committed against the Rohingyas in Myanmar". The Rohingya victims are also set to appear in court to testify. The case relates to the crackdown on Rohingyas in 2017 which had led over 730,000 people to flee the country into Bangladesh as Myanmar's armed forces allegedly targeted the Rohingyas in Rakhine state. Also Read| Bangladesh: 16 Rohingya arrested in anti-militant crackdown There were widespread reports of alleged atrocities committed by Myanmar's military against the Rohingyas which had led to worldwide condemnation. The UN had called the persecution genocide as thousands of men, women and children were displaced. The UN Security Council had recently expressed concern over clashes between the military and militants from various groups in the Rakhine state which had hampered the return of Rohingyas. (With inputs from Agencies)

Argentine court to hear Rohingya case

Bangladesh police have arrested 172 Rohingya in recent weeks after a crackdown sparked by the brutal murder of a prominent community leader, the force said Monday.

Mohib Ullah was shot dead in late September in a refugee camp near the port city of Cox's Bazar, in a region home to over 700,000 members of the stateless Muslim minority who fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar.&nbsp;

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The 48-year-old teacher was a respected advocate for the community but in the weeks before his assassination he had been the target of death threats from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militant group.

Among those arrested in the weeks since were 10 suspected of involvement in the killing, said Naimul Haque, commander of the elite Armed Police Battalion (APB).

"Our drives against the miscreants in the camps will continue," he added.

Another 114 people taken into custody had declared themselves ARSA members, Haque's unit said in a statement.

Bangladesh routinely denies that the insurgents operate in the refugee camps, claiming instead that criminals involved in armed violence and drug trafficking use the group's name to trade on their reputation.&nbsp;

But Ullah's family and colleagues have blamed the group for his murder, an allegation that ARSA denies.

Police have also relocated more than 70 people, including the slain advocate's family and relatives of seven people shot dead last month in an assault on an Islamic school -- another attack blamed on the militants.

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"All the families of the victims were terrified after these incidents," senior officer Kamran Hossain told AFP.

Nurul Islam, a Rohingya refugee whose son was killed in the school attack, said his family felt too afraid to remain in the camps.

"All Rohingya are unsafe from ARSA," he told AFP by phone. "They want to kill us, they want instability."

The UN refugee agency has also helped move some refugees to "safe locations" since Ullah's killing, UNHCR spokeswoman Regina De la Portilla told AFP.

Bangladesh police have arrested 172 Rohingya in recent weeks after a crackdown sparked by the brutal murder of a prominent community leader, the force said Monday.

Bangladesh police have arrested 172 Rohingya in recent weeks after a crackdown sparked by the brutal murder of a prominent community leader, the force said Monday. Mohib Ullah was shot dead in late September in a refugee camp near the port city of Cox's Bazar, in a region home to over 700,000 members of the stateless Muslim minority who fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar. Also Read | India invited for global aid conference on rohingya refugees The 48-year-old teacher was a respected advocate for the community but in the weeks before his assassination he had been the target of death threats from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militant group. Among those arrested in the weeks since were 10 suspected of involvement in the killing, said Naimul Haque, commander of the elite Armed Police Battalion (APB). "Our drives against the miscreants in the camps will continue," he added. Another 114 people taken into custody had declared themselves ARSA members, Haque's unit said in a statement. Bangladesh routinely denies that the insurgents operate in the refugee camps, claiming instead that criminals involved in armed violence and drug trafficking use the group's name to trade on their reputation. But Ullah's family and colleagues have blamed the group for his murder, an allegation that ARSA denies. Police have also relocated more than 70 people, including the slain advocate's family and relatives of seven people shot dead last month in an assault on an Islamic school -- another attack blamed on the militants. Also Read | 65 Islamic State terrorists surrendered in Afghanistan's Nangarhar: Taliban "All the families of the victims were terrified after these incidents," senior officer Kamran Hossain told AFP. Nurul Islam, a Rohingya refugee whose son was killed in the school attack, said his family felt too afraid to remain in the camps. "All Rohingya are unsafe from ARSA," he told AFP by phone. "They want to kill us, they want instability." The UN refugee agency has also helped move some refugees to "safe locations" since Ullah's killing, UNHCR spokeswoman Regina De la Portilla told AFP.

Bangladesh arrests more than 170 Rohingya after leader's murder

At least seven people were killed and 20 injured by gunmen in an attack on an Islamic seminary in Bangladesh's Rohingya refugee camp on Friday, raising tensions in settlements after the recent shooting of a community leader.

Bangladesh: Tensions continue to escalate after killing of a prominent Rohingya community leader

Gunmen killed at least seven people and left others wounded in an assault Friday on an Islamic seminary in a Rohingya refugee camp on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, police said.

The attackers shot some victims and stabbed others with knives, a regional police chief said.

The killings come as tensions mount in the camps that house more than 900,000 refugees from Myanmar, after a Rohingya community leader was shot dead outside his office three weeks ago.

Four people were killed instantly in Friday's attack and three others died at a hospital in the Balukhali camp. Police did not say how many people were wounded.

"We arrested one attacker immediately after the incident," Shihab Kaisar Khan, regional chief for an armed police battalion, told reporters.

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The man was found with a gun, six rounds of ammunition and a knife, he added.

Many Rohingya activists have gone into hiding since the killing of rights advocate Mohib Ullah by unknown assailants.

Some activists have blamed the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) for the killing. ARSA is the militant group behind attacks on Myanmar security forces in 2017 that set off a military clampdown and a mass exodus into Bangladesh of 740,000 Rohingya.

The armed outfit has denied the allegations.&nbsp;

Activists say there is a mounting "climate of fear" in the camps. Police said security had been tightened as they investigate the causes of the latest shooting.

Gunmen killed at least seven people and left others wounded in an assault Friday on an Islamic seminary in a Rohingya refugee camp on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, police said.

Gunmen killed at least seven people and left others wounded in an assault Friday on an Islamic seminary in a Rohingya refugee camp on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, police said. The attackers shot some victims and stabbed others with knives, a regional police chief said. The killings come as tensions mount in the camps that house more than 900,000 refugees from Myanmar, after a Rohingya community leader was shot dead outside his office three weeks ago. Four people were killed instantly in Friday's attack and three others died at a hospital in the Balukhali camp. Police did not say how many people were wounded. "We arrested one attacker immediately after the incident," Shihab Kaisar Khan, regional chief for an armed police battalion, told reporters. Also Read | Bangladesh plans to move 81,000 Rohingya to island after UN deal: Officials The man was found with a gun, six rounds of ammunition and a knife, he added. Many Rohingya activists have gone into hiding since the killing of rights advocate Mohib Ullah by unknown assailants. Some activists have blamed the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) for the killing. ARSA is the militant group behind attacks on Myanmar security forces in 2017 that set off a military clampdown and a mass exodus into Bangladesh of 740,000 Rohingya. The armed outfit has denied the allegations. Activists say there is a mounting "climate of fear" in the camps. Police said security had been tightened as they investigate the causes of the latest shooting.

Seven killed in Bangladesh Rohingya refugee camp attack

Bangladesh police arrested at least 16 Rohingya refugees after a series of raids in camps in Dhaka. This comes in after the murder of a top Rohingya community leader last week.

Rights advocate Mohib Ullah was gunned down ten days ago by unidentified assailants outside his office at Kutupalong.&nbsp;

His family and fellow community leaders blame the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which is a militant outfit behind a series of attacks on Myanmar security posts as they say that Mohib Ullah's growing popularity had enraged the group.&nbsp;

However, ARSA has denied any involvement in the murder.

Mohib Ullah had become one the most respected moderate voices advocating for Rohingya refugees after nearly 800,000 people fled Myanmar for Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district.

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Naimul Huq, the police official in charge of the raids said, "We have arrested 16 people in the past three days as part of a special drive we have launched after the murder of Mohib Ullah."&nbsp;

Huq added that those arrested were not "involved in the murder of Mohib Ullah" and ARSA does not operate in the camps.&nbsp;

A senior leader of the slain leader's rights group, while speaking with AFP said, "ARSA has created a reign of terror in the camps."

"Since Mohib Ullah's murder, I haven't been able to go to my home. I've been hiding since the murder. ARSA members are following us and threatening us. I am helpless."&nbsp;

Another community leader said, "ARSA militants tried to kidnap one of my relatives and the son of one of our members. Now we are all scared of our life. They want to kill me".

Bangladesh police arrested at least 16 Rohingya refugees after a series of raids in camps in Dhaka. This comes in after the murder of a top Rohingya community leader last week.

Bangladesh police arrested at least 16 Rohingya refugees after a series of raids in camps in Dhaka. This comes in after the murder of a top Rohingya community leader last week. Rights advocate Mohib Ullah was gunned down ten days ago by unidentified assailants outside his office at Kutupalong. His family and fellow community leaders blame the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which is a militant outfit behind a series of attacks on Myanmar security posts as they say that Mohib Ullah's growing popularity had enraged the group. However, ARSA has denied any involvement in the murder. Mohib Ullah had become one the most respected moderate voices advocating for Rohingya refugees after nearly 800,000 people fled Myanmar for Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district. Also read | Ghani's ex-bodyguard ready to give proof of ex-president fleeing with bags of cash Naimul Huq, the police official in charge of the raids said, "We have arrested 16 people in the past three days as part of a special drive we have launched after the murder of Mohib Ullah." Huq added that those arrested were not "involved in the murder of Mohib Ullah" and ARSA does not operate in the camps. A senior leader of the slain leader's rights group, while speaking with AFP said, "ARSA has created a reign of terror in the camps." "Since Mohib Ullah's murder, I haven't been able to go to my home. I've been hiding since the murder. ARSA members are following us and threatening us. I am helpless." Another community leader said, "ARSA militants tried to kidnap one of my relatives and the son of one of our members. Now we are all scared of our life. They want to kill me".

Bangladesh: 16 Rohingya arrested in anti-militant crackdown

Bangladesh wants to send more than 80,000 Rohingya refugees to a remote island in the Bay of Bengal after sealing an agreement for the United Nations to provide help, officials said Friday.

Some 19,000 of the Muslim refugees from Myanmar have already relocated from crowded camps on the mainland to Bhashan Char island, despite doubts raised by aid groups, officials said.

Bangladesh refugee commissioner Shah Rezwan Hayat told AFP that tens of thousands more would go once the monsoon storms that batter the Bay of Bengal each year end in November.

"We are aiming to relocate some 81,000 (Rohingya) to Bhashan Char by the end of February to complete the 100,000 quota," he told AFP.

The government has spent about $350 million building shelters on the 53 square kilometre (20 square mile) island which was formed by tidal silt deposits about 20 years ago.

On top of the inhospitable weather, the island is 60 kilometres (37 miles) from the Bangladesh mainland and some Rohingya groups say people were forced to go there.

About 850,000 Rohingya are packed into camps along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. Most fled a Myanmar military clampdown in 2017 that the UN says could be genocide.

Bangladesh has been praised for taking in the refugees who poured across the border but has had little success finding them permanent homes.

UN confirms deal

While a Bangladesh security intelligence agency is responsible for relocating the refugees, the government denies that any coercion has been used.

Still, several hundred Rohingya have fled Bhashan Char only to be detained on other islands or in coastal villages. Dozens died after a fishing boat packed with Rohingya trying to flee the island sank in August.

The UN had expressed doubts about the relocations. But Bangladesh and UN officials said a deal has been agreed to give the UN a role in providing humanitarian assistance and monitoring conditions on the island.

"We can confirm that the UN will sign a memorandum of understanding with the government to protect Rohingya refugees in Bhashan Char on Saturday," a spokesperson for UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, told AFP.

Refugee commissioner Hayat said the UN would play a bigger role on the island than they do now in the mainland refugee camps, where they already have extensive operations.&nbsp;

"Bhashan Char residents will receive similar treatment, humanitarian response-wise, to what is now provided to people in the Cox's Bazar camps," he said.

He added that there would also be greater opportunities for Rohingya to work on the island than there are now in the rigidly policed camps.

But Amnesty International raised new concerns over the relocations and highlighted the attempts made by refugees on the island to get away again.

"Some refugees have drowned at sea and many are either being arrested, detained, or forcibly returned to the island," Saad Hammadi, Amnesty's South Asia campaigner, told AFP.

He said Bangladesh, the UN and donor countries should "develop a rights-respecting policy and ensure the participation of Rohingya refugees in decisions that affect their lives."

Bangladesh wants to send more than 80,000 Rohingya refugees to a remote island in the Bay of Bengal after sealing an agreement for the United Nations to provide help, officials said Friday.

Bangladesh wants to send more than 80,000 Rohingya refugees to a remote island in the Bay of Bengal after sealing an agreement for the United Nations to provide help, officials said Friday. Some 19,000 of the Muslim refugees from Myanmar have already relocated from crowded camps on the mainland to Bhashan Char island, despite doubts raised by aid groups, officials said. Bangladesh refugee commissioner Shah Rezwan Hayat told AFP that tens of thousands more would go once the monsoon storms that batter the Bay of Bengal each year end in November. "We are aiming to relocate some 81,000 (Rohingya) to Bhashan Char by the end of February to complete the 100,000 quota," he told AFP. The government has spent about $350 million building shelters on the 53 square kilometre (20 square mile) island which was formed by tidal silt deposits about 20 years ago. On top of the inhospitable weather, the island is 60 kilometres (37 miles) from the Bangladesh mainland and some Rohingya groups say people were forced to go there. About 850,000 Rohingya are packed into camps along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. Most fled a Myanmar military clampdown in 2017 that the UN says could be genocide. Bangladesh has been praised for taking in the refugees who poured across the border but has had little success finding them permanent homes. UN confirms deal While a Bangladesh security intelligence agency is responsible for relocating the refugees, the government denies that any coercion has been used. Still, several hundred Rohingya have fled Bhashan Char only to be detained on other islands or in coastal villages. Dozens died after a fishing boat packed with Rohingya trying to flee the island sank in August. The UN had expressed doubts about the relocations. But Bangladesh and UN officials said a deal has been agreed to give the UN a role in providing humanitarian assistance and monitoring conditions on the island. "We can confirm that the UN will sign a memorandum of understanding with the government to protect Rohingya refugees in Bhashan Char on Saturday," a spokesperson for UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, told AFP. Refugee commissioner Hayat said the UN would play a bigger role on the island than they do now in the mainland refugee camps, where they already have extensive operations. "Bhashan Char residents will receive similar treatment, humanitarian response-wise, to what is now provided to people in the Cox's Bazar camps," he said. He added that there would also be greater opportunities for Rohingya to work on the island than there are now in the rigidly policed camps. But Amnesty International raised new concerns over the relocations and highlighted the attempts made by refugees on the island to get away again. "Some refugees have drowned at sea and many are either being arrested, detained, or forcibly returned to the island," Saad Hammadi, Amnesty's South Asia campaigner, told AFP. He said Bangladesh, the UN and donor countries should "develop a rights-respecting policy and ensure the participation of Rohingya refugees in decisions that affect their lives."

Bangladesh plans to move 81,000 Rohingya to island after UN deal: Officials

A militant group accused of killing a popular Rohingya leader in a Bangladesh refugee camp said on Friday it was "shocked and saddened" by his death, pointing the finger at "unidentified criminals".

Mohib Ullah was gunned down late Wednesday in one of the camps in east Bangladesh which are home to over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims who fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar.&nbsp;

He had received death threats from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), who were enraged by his growing popularity in the camps, activists told AFP. His brother has openly accused ARSA of his murder.&nbsp;

But in a Twitter statement on Friday, ARSA said Mohib Ullah was "reportedly assassinated by unidentified transnational border-based criminals".&nbsp;

"It is time for bringing the criminals to their accountability instead of finger-pointing with baseless and heavy accusations," the statement added.

AFP has contacted the group for comment.

On Friday UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for a "prompt, thorough, and independent investigation" into the killing.

A 28-year-old Rohingya man has been arrested over the murder, Bangladesh police said Friday.

"I don't know if he is a member of ARSA," commanding officer Naimul Haque told AFP.&nbsp;

"More information will be known after interrogation."

ARSA were behind a spate of attacks on Myanmar security posts in 2017 and are also blamed for attacks on Hindus living in Rohingya villages in the country's western Rakhine province.

Mohib Ullah had set up the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, a rights group that documented atrocities allegedly committed against the Rohingya by the Myanmar military during its 2017 offensive.

The military crackdown prompted hundreds of thousands of the long-oppressed mostly Muslim minority to flee into Bangladesh, where they remain four years later in squalid refugee camps.&nbsp;

The former schoolteacher rose to prominence after his group held a grand rally on the second anniversary of the crackdown in 2019, which an estimated 200,000 Rohingya attended.

That year, Mohib Ullah also met then US president Donald Trump at the White House during a meeting on religious freedom, and spoke at a UN Human Rights meeting in Geneva.

Up to 25,000 people attended his funeral prayers at the main Kutupalong camp on Thursday, police said. Nazir Hossain, a Rohingya leader, said there were 200,000. 
&nbsp;

A militant group accused of killing a popular Rohingya leader in a Bangladesh refugee camp said on Friday it was "shocked and saddened" by his death, pointing the finger at "unidentified criminals".

A militant group accused of killing a popular Rohingya leader in a Bangladesh refugee camp said on Friday it was "shocked and saddened" by his death, pointing the finger at "unidentified criminals". Mohib Ullah was gunned down late Wednesday in one of the camps in east Bangladesh which are home to over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims who fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar. He had received death threats from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), who were enraged by his growing popularity in the camps, activists told AFP. His brother has openly accused ARSA of his murder. But in a Twitter statement on Friday, ARSA said Mohib Ullah was "reportedly assassinated by unidentified transnational border-based criminals". "It is time for bringing the criminals to their accountability instead of finger-pointing with baseless and heavy accusations," the statement added. AFP has contacted the group for comment. On Friday UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for a "prompt, thorough, and independent investigation" into the killing. A 28-year-old Rohingya man has been arrested over the murder, Bangladesh police said Friday. "I don't know if he is a member of ARSA," commanding officer Naimul Haque told AFP. "More information will be known after interrogation." ARSA were behind a spate of attacks on Myanmar security posts in 2017 and are also blamed for attacks on Hindus living in Rohingya villages in the country's western Rakhine province. Mohib Ullah had set up the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, a rights group that documented atrocities allegedly committed against the Rohingya by the Myanmar military during its 2017 offensive. The military crackdown prompted hundreds of thousands of the long-oppressed mostly Muslim minority to flee into Bangladesh, where they remain four years later in squalid refugee camps. The former schoolteacher rose to prominence after his group held a grand rally on the second anniversary of the crackdown in 2019, which an estimated 200,000 Rohingya attended. That year, Mohib Ullah also met then US president Donald Trump at the White House during a meeting on religious freedom, and spoke at a UN Human Rights meeting in Geneva. Up to 25,000 people attended his funeral prayers at the main Kutupalong camp on Thursday, police said. Nazir Hossain, a Rohingya leader, said there were 200,000.

Militant group accused of Rohingya leader's death blame 'unidentified criminals'

Mohib Ullah, a top Rohingya community leader was shot dead on Wednesday in Bangladesh's resort district of Cox's Bazar.

As per police spokesman of Cox's Bazar, Mohib Ullah was talking with other refugee leaders outside his office after evening prayers when four assailants shot him dead.

"Four to five unidentified assailants shot him from close range. He was declared dead at a MSF hospital in the camp," said Rafiqul Islam, police spokesperson.

He said police and the Armed Police Battalion, which is tasked with ensuring security for the country's 34 Rohingya camps, have stepped up security, deploying hundreds more armed officers.

No arrest has been made as yet.

"We are conducting raids in the area," he said, adding Ullah had not alerted police of any threats from any group.&nbsp;

Ullah was outside ARPSH office at Kutupalong, the world's largest refugee settlement when he was killed.

"He was in a pool of blood. He was brought dead to the nearby MSF hospital," Nowkhim said from a hideout, adding that many Rohingya leaders have gone into hiding after Ullah's killing.

No one has claimed responsibility, but a Rohingya leader told AFP that Ullah was killed by the extremist group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which was behind several attacks on Myanmar security posts in recent years 
"It is a work of ARSA," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Mohib Ullah, a top Rohingya community leader was shot dead on Wednesday in Bangladesh's resort district of Cox's Bazar. As per police spokesman of Cox's Bazar, Mohib Ullah was talking with other refugee leaders outside his office after evening prayers when four assailants shot him dead.

Mohib Ullah, a top Rohingya community leader was shot dead on Wednesday in Bangladesh's resort district of Cox's Bazar. As per police spokesman of Cox's Bazar, Mohib Ullah was talking with other refugee leaders outside his office after evening prayers when four assailants shot him dead. "Four to five unidentified assailants shot him from close range. He was declared dead at a MSF hospital in the camp," said Rafiqul Islam, police spokesperson. He said police and the Armed Police Battalion, which is tasked with ensuring security for the country's 34 Rohingya camps, have stepped up security, deploying hundreds more armed officers. No arrest has been made as yet. "We are conducting raids in the area," he said, adding Ullah had not alerted police of any threats from any group. Ullah was outside ARPSH office at Kutupalong, the world's largest refugee settlement when he was killed. "He was in a pool of blood. He was brought dead to the nearby MSF hospital," Nowkhim said from a hideout, adding that many Rohingya leaders have gone into hiding after Ullah's killing. No one has claimed responsibility, but a Rohingya leader told AFP that Ullah was killed by the extremist group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which was behind several attacks on Myanmar security posts in recent years "It is a work of ARSA," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Top Rohingya community leader shot dead in Bangladesh

Gunmen shot and killed a prominent Rohingya Muslim leader in a refugee camp in southern Bangladesh on Wednesday, a United Nations spokesperson and a local police official said, following months of worsening violence in the world's largest refugee settlement. Watch this report for more details.

Bangladesh: Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah shot dead

Myanmar will vaccinate minority Muslim Rohingya people against the coronavirus, a spokesman for its ruling military said on Friday, adding that no one will be left behind in its inoculation campaign.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled to Bangladesh during military operations in 2017 and those who remain complain of discrimination and mistreatment in a country that does not recognise them as citizens.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-covid-19-vaccination-drive-50-of-adults-have-had-their-first-jab-408814" hreflang="en">India's COVID-19 vaccination drive: 50% of adults have had their first jab</a>

Spokesman Zaw Min Tun said authorities were making progress in reducing coronavirus infections and increasing vaccinations and aimed to inoculate half of the country's population by the end of this year.

Myanmar reported 2,635 new coronavirus infections and 113 additional deaths on Thursday, though the number of daily cases and reported fatalities have come down from a peak hit in July.

The vaccinations would include Rohingya people in Maungdaw and Buthidaung districts bordering Bangladesh, he said.

He referred to them as "Bengalis", a term used for decades in Buddhist majority Myanmar to describe Rohingya, a group many regard as unwanted immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

"They are also our people as well," Zaw Min Tun told a regular news conference. "We will not leave anyone behind."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/some-sri-lankans-opt-for-cardboard-coffins-amid-covid-19-surge-408465">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/some-sri-lankans-opt-for-cardboard-coffins-amid-covid-19-surge-408465/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It was not immediately clear whether the vaccination campaign would extend to Rohingya Muslims living in densely-packed camps in Rakhine state and what the qualification criteria would be.

The issue is deeply sensitive in Myanmar, where animosity about Rohingya runs deep. International rights groups say hundreds of thousands of stateless Rohingya should be entitled to citizenship rather than be discriminated against and branded illegal immigrants.

A junta-appointed administrator earlier this month said there was no plan to include Rohingya in camps near the state capital Sittwe.

At least 700,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine for Bangladesh in 2017 during operations by the army under the command of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who is now prime minister and head of Myanmar's junta.

UN investigators said those operations were carried out with "genocidal intent" but the army denied that and said they were aimed at countering Rohingya "terrorists".

Myanmar will vaccinate minority Muslim Rohingya people against the coronavirus, a spokesman for its ruling military said on Friday, adding that no one will be left behind in its inoculation campaign.

Myanmar will vaccinate minority Muslim Rohingya people against the coronavirus, a spokesman for its ruling military said on Friday, adding that no one will be left behind in its inoculation campaign. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled to Bangladesh during military operations in 2017 and those who remain complain of discrimination and mistreatment in a country that does not recognise them as citizens. Also read | India's COVID-19 vaccination drive: 50% of adults have had their first jab Spokesman Zaw Min Tun said authorities were making progress in reducing coronavirus infections and increasing vaccinations and aimed to inoculate half of the country's population by the end of this year. Myanmar reported 2,635 new coronavirus infections and 113 additional deaths on Thursday, though the number of daily cases and reported fatalities have come down from a peak hit in July. The vaccinations would include Rohingya people in Maungdaw and Buthidaung districts bordering Bangladesh, he said. He referred to them as "Bengalis", a term used for decades in Buddhist majority Myanmar to describe Rohingya, a group many regard as unwanted immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh. "They are also our people as well," Zaw Min Tun told a regular news conference. "We will not leave anyone behind." WATCH | It was not immediately clear whether the vaccination campaign would extend to Rohingya Muslims living in densely-packed camps in Rakhine state and what the qualification criteria would be. The issue is deeply sensitive in Myanmar, where animosity about Rohingya runs deep. International rights groups say hundreds of thousands of stateless Rohingya should be entitled to citizenship rather than be discriminated against and branded illegal immigrants. A junta-appointed administrator earlier this month said there was no plan to include Rohingya in camps near the state capital Sittwe. At least 700,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine for Bangladesh in 2017 during operations by the army under the command of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who is now prime minister and head of Myanmar's junta. UN investigators said those operations were carried out with "genocidal intent" but the army denied that and said they were aimed at countering Rohingya "terrorists".

Myanmar will extend COVID-19 vaccinations to Rohingya

Officials said Tuesday at least six Rohingya were killed and thousands more were relocated to refugee camps in Bangladesh's southeast after heavy rains triggered landslides and flooding in hilly settlements.

A piece of a hill crushed bamboo and tarpaulin shanties of Rohingya families in the Balukhali camp, killing five including three children, refugee commissioner Shah Rezwan Hayat said.

He added that all the streams in the camps were raging due to flash floods and that another Rohingya child drowned in a nearby stream in the Palongkhali refugee camp.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bangladesh-at-least-6-people-killed-after-monsoon-rains-trigger-landslides-401164/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The landslides were caused by days of heavy rain.&nbsp;Several Rohingya families have also been relocated within camps to ensure their safety,&nbsp;he said adding&nbsp;that two injured people have been sent to nearby hospitals.

In August 2017, 740,000 Rohingya fled their homes in Rakhine state, escaping a brutal clampdown by Myanmar security forces.

Cox's Bazar, the district bordering Myanmar in Bangladesh's southeastern region, is home to nearly one million of these Rohingya living in overcrowded camps.

The monsoon season is always a risky time of year for thousands of these refugees, especially those who live in valleys inside the 7,000-acre (2,832-hectare) settlements.

The deaths of two refugees were caused by separate landslides during heavy rain last month.

(With inputs from agencies)

Officials said Tuesday at least six Rohingya were killed and thousands more were relocated to refugee camps in Bangladesh's southeast after heavy rains triggered landslides and flooding in hilly settlements.

Officials said Tuesday at least six Rohingya were killed and thousands more were relocated to refugee camps in Bangladesh's southeast after heavy rains triggered landslides and flooding in hilly settlements. A piece of a hill crushed bamboo and tarpaulin shanties of Rohingya families in the Balukhali camp, killing five including three children, refugee commissioner Shah Rezwan Hayat said. He added that all the streams in the camps were raging due to flash floods and that another Rohingya child drowned in a nearby stream in the Palongkhali refugee camp. The landslides were caused by days of heavy rain. Several Rohingya families have also been relocated within camps to ensure their safety, he said adding that two injured people have been sent to nearby hospitals. In August 2017, 740,000 Rohingya fled their homes in Rakhine state, escaping a brutal clampdown by Myanmar security forces. Cox's Bazar, the district bordering Myanmar in Bangladesh's southeastern region, is home to nearly one million of these Rohingya living in overcrowded camps. The monsoon season is always a risky time of year for thousands of these refugees, especially those who live in valleys inside the 7,000-acre (2,832-hectare) settlements. The deaths of two refugees were caused by separate landslides during heavy rain last month. (With inputs from agencies)

Landslides in Bangladesh kill six Rohingyas, forces thousands to flee

A shadow government in Myanmar called on Rohingya minority on Thursday and urged them to join the fight to overthrow the military junta. It has promised citizenship and repatriation for the persecuted Muslim community in a future democratic Myanmar. Myanmar is currently in turmoil due to military rule.

The military junta overthrew the civilian government run by Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1. The country has since been on the boil with pro-democracy protests and clashes with military.

A group of ousted lawmakers -- mostly from the National League for Democracy (NLD) -- later set up a shadow "National Unity Government" (NUG) which has sought to bring anti-coup dissidents together.

Military junta has classified the NUG as "terrorists". It means that anyone speaking to them, even journalists, may be slapped with charges under counter-terrorism laws.

"We invite Rohingyas to join hands with us and with others to participate in this Spring Revolution against the military dictatorship," the group said in a statement.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/lawyer-for-myanmars-suu-kyi-worried-over-representation-for-secrets-case-389389">Lawyer for Myanmar's Suu Kyi worried over representation for secrets case</a>

Suu Kyi's NLD government had avoided the term "Rohingya" because of sensitivity among ethnic groups in the majority-Buddhist country, referring to the minority as "Muslims living in Rakhine."

In Myanmar, the Rohingya are widely seen as interlopers from Bangladesh and have been denied citizenship, rights and access to services for decades under what Amnesty International calls apartheid-like conditions.&nbsp;

The NUG has also promised to end a 1982 citizenship law that discriminates against the Rohingya. The NUG has promised that all those born in Myanmar or to a Myanmar citizen would be granted citizenship.&nbsp;

The group also said it was committed to repatriating all Rohingya languishing in camps in Bangladesh "as soon as repatriation can be accomplished voluntarily, safely and with dignity."

IN 2017, more than 740,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after a bloody military campaign that the United Nations has termed as ethnic cleansing.

The military claimed its operations were justified to root out Rohingya insurgents following a series of deadly attacks on police posts and has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.&nbsp;

Suu Kyi defended the army's conduct and even travelled to The Hague to rebut charges of genocide at the UN's top court.

(With inputs from&nbsp;agencies)

A shadow government in Myanmar called on Rohingya minority on Thursday and urged them to join the fight to overthrow the military junta. It has promised citizenship and repatriation for the persecuted Muslim community in a future democratic Myanmar.

A shadow government in Myanmar called on Rohingya minority on Thursday and urged them to join the fight to overthrow the military junta. It has promised citizenship and repatriation for the persecuted Muslim community in a future democratic Myanmar. Myanmar is currently in turmoil due to military rule. The military junta overthrew the civilian government run by Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1. The country has since been on the boil with pro-democracy protests and clashes with military. A group of ousted lawmakers -- mostly from the National League for Democracy (NLD) -- later set up a shadow "National Unity Government" (NUG) which has sought to bring anti-coup dissidents together. Military junta has classified the NUG as "terrorists". It means that anyone speaking to them, even journalists, may be slapped with charges under counter-terrorism laws. "We invite Rohingyas to join hands with us and with others to participate in this Spring Revolution against the military dictatorship," the group said in a statement. Also Read | Lawyer for Myanmar's Suu Kyi worried over representation for secrets case Suu Kyi's NLD government had avoided the term "Rohingya" because of sensitivity among ethnic groups in the majority-Buddhist country, referring to the minority as "Muslims living in Rakhine." In Myanmar, the Rohingya are widely seen as interlopers from Bangladesh and have been denied citizenship, rights and access to services for decades under what Amnesty International calls apartheid-like conditions. The NUG has also promised to end a 1982 citizenship law that discriminates against the Rohingya. The NUG has promised that all those born in Myanmar or to a Myanmar citizen would be granted citizenship. The group also said it was committed to repatriating all Rohingya languishing in camps in Bangladesh "as soon as repatriation can be accomplished voluntarily, safely and with dignity." IN 2017, more than 740,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after a bloody military campaign that the United Nations has termed as ethnic cleansing. The military claimed its operations were justified to root out Rohingya insurgents following a series of deadly attacks on police posts and has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. Suu Kyi defended the army's conduct and even travelled to The Hague to rebut charges of genocide at the UN's top court. (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar: Shadow government urges Rohingya to fight against military junta

Several thousand Rohingya staged "unruly" protests Monday against living conditions on a cyclone-prone island off Bangladesh where they were moved from vast camps on the mainland, police said. 
 
Since December, Bangladesh has shifted 18,000 out of a planned 100,000 refugees to the low-lying silt island of Bhashan Char from the Cox's Bazar region, where around 850,000 people live in squalid and cramped conditions. 
 
Most of them had fled a brutal military offensive in neighbouring Myanmar in 2017 that UN investigators concluded was executed with "genocidal intent". 
 
Monday's protest involved up to 4,000 people, police said, and coincided with an inspection visit by officials from the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). 
 
"The Rohingya who are there became unruly the moment the UNHCR representatives landed (on the island) by helicopter today," local police chief Alamgir Hossain told AFP. 
 
"They broke the glass on warehouses by throwing rocks. They came at the police... Their demand is they don't want to live here." 
 
One Rohingya man confirmed to AFP that bricks were thrown and that police prevented them from entering a building where the UNHCR officials were present. 
 
An international rights activist said police used batons to disperse the protesters. Quoting Rohingya sources, he said several protesters were injured. Police rejected the claim.

A police spokesman said Rohingya protesters attacked officers, injuring several of them. They also damaged cars on the island, he said.

A UNHCR spokesperson confirmed that a delegation from the refugee agency, including the UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations and the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, visited Bhasan Char island, facilitated by the Government of Bangladesh.

"The UNHCR delegation was able to meet with a large group of refugees and to listen to the various issues that they raised, which the delegation will further discuss with the Bangladesh authorities," she said.

She said the delegation has now arrived in Cox's Bazar and would visit the Rohingya refugee camps Tuesday, before returning to Dhaka to meet with senior government officials. 
 
'Dire straits' 
After the first transfer on December 4 to the island in the Bay of Bengal, several Rohingya told AFP they were beaten and intimidated into agreeing to be relocated.

Their claims have been echoed by rights groups.

The Bangladesh government insists relocation is voluntary, that the island is safe and that its facilities are far better than those in the camps. Police told AFP at least 49 Rohingya, including women and children, have been arrested in recent weeks after fleeing the island and trying to return to Cox's Bazar.

But Rohingya leaders say that scores, if not hundreds, of people from their community have escaped and have since returned to Cox's Bazar.

One man told AFP on condition of anonymity that he left the island by swimming and then boarding a Bangladeshi fishing boat waiting for him, paying the owner $300.

He said that before agreeing to move to the island, he had been assured that he would be able to return to his family in Cox's Bazar after two weeks.

"The Rohingyas in&nbsp;Bhashan Char are&nbsp;given&nbsp;only&nbsp;food and&nbsp;no other&nbsp;facilities," he said.

He said promises that they would be able to work on the island, farm and fish were not fulfilled.

"The Rohingyas are in dire straits there.&nbsp;The Cox's&nbsp;Bazar (camps)&nbsp;are a thousand times better than&nbsp;Bhashan Char," he said.

The UN said it has not been involved in the relocation process. There was no immediate comment from the UNHCR on Monday's demonstrations.

Several thousand Rohingya staged "unruly" protests Monday against living conditions on a cyclone-prone island off Bangladesh where they were moved from vast camps on the mainland, police said.

Several thousand Rohingya staged "unruly" protests Monday against living conditions on a cyclone-prone island off Bangladesh where they were moved from vast camps on the mainland, police said. Since December, Bangladesh has shifted 18,000 out of a planned 100,000 refugees to the low-lying silt island of Bhashan Char from the Cox's Bazar region, where around 850,000 people live in squalid and cramped conditions. Most of them had fled a brutal military offensive in neighbouring Myanmar in 2017 that UN investigators concluded was executed with "genocidal intent". Monday's protest involved up to 4,000 people, police said, and coincided with an inspection visit by officials from the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). "The Rohingya who are there became unruly the moment the UNHCR representatives landed (on the island) by helicopter today," local police chief Alamgir Hossain told AFP. "They broke the glass on warehouses by throwing rocks. They came at the police... Their demand is they don't want to live here." One Rohingya man confirmed to AFP that bricks were thrown and that police prevented them from entering a building where the UNHCR officials were present. An international rights activist said police used batons to disperse the protesters. Quoting Rohingya sources, he said several protesters were injured. Police rejected the claim. A police spokesman said Rohingya protesters attacked officers, injuring several of them. They also damaged cars on the island, he said. A UNHCR spokesperson confirmed that a delegation from the refugee agency, including the UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations and the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, visited Bhasan Char island, facilitated by the Government of Bangladesh. "The UNHCR delegation was able to meet with a large group of refugees and to listen to the various issues that they raised, which the delegation will further discuss with the Bangladesh authorities," she said. She said the delegation has now arrived in Cox's Bazar and would visit the Rohingya refugee camps Tuesday, before returning to Dhaka to meet with senior government officials. 'Dire straits' After the first transfer on December 4 to the island in the Bay of Bengal, several Rohingya told AFP they were beaten and intimidated into agreeing to be relocated. Their claims have been echoed by rights groups. The Bangladesh government insists relocation is voluntary, that the island is safe and that its facilities are far better than those in the camps. Police told AFP at least 49 Rohingya, including women and children, have been arrested in recent weeks after fleeing the island and trying to return to Cox's Bazar. But Rohingya leaders say that scores, if not hundreds, of people from their community have escaped and have since returned to Cox's Bazar. One man told AFP on condition of anonymity that he left the island by swimming and then boarding a Bangladeshi fishing boat waiting for him, paying the owner $300. He said that before agreeing to move to the island, he had been assured that he would be able to return to his family in Cox's Bazar after two weeks. "The Rohingyas in Bhashan Char are given only food and no other facilities," he said. He said promises that they would be able to work on the island, farm and fish were not fulfilled. "The Rohingyas are in dire straits there. The Cox's Bazar (camps) are a thousand times better than Bhashan Char," he said. The UN said it has not been involved in the relocation process. There was no immediate comment from the UNHCR on Monday's demonstrations.

Thousands of Rohingya protest against conditions on Bangladesh island

Bangladesh has imposed a lockdown in Rohingya camps after a series of small outbreaks. In the congested & squalid shanties of Cox's Bazar - a widespread outbreak could prove to be deadly. Mariam Wardak gets you the report.

South Asia Diary: Lockdown at Rohingya camps in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Minister of Foreign Affairs AK Abdul Momen said that Bangladesh is "very lucky" that Indian PM Narendra Modi will be a part of two of its major celebrations in an exclusive interview with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma.&nbsp;

PM Modi will be visiting Bangladesh on January 26 for the celebrations of 50 years of Bangladesh's Independence and the 100th birth anniversary of its Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-wion-exclusive-what-pm-modis-visit-to-dhaka-means-for-bangladesh-370082/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"These are two great events for Bangladesh and we are very lucky that the Indian Prime Minister will join us in this celebration," Momen said. &nbsp;

He also underscored that both countries have a "rock-solid relationship" and there has been a strong social, cultural and historical bond between people of both nations.&nbsp;

The Bangladeshi foreign minister also said that during the country's independence movement, India came forward to help them "physically, mentally" and stressed that Indian soldiers "shed blood" for their cause.&nbsp;

He also thanked his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar for keeping his word of visiting Bangladesh in-person once the coronavirus situation improved in India.&nbsp;

"We have shown the world the height of the leadership maturity as we have resolved most of the major issues through dialogue, discussions and through consensus," Momen said.&nbsp;

However, he said there are few issues remaining, like border killing, but added that both countries are on the same page to settle the matter and are against any loss of life.&nbsp;

Momen also said that the countries agreed to open a bridge between Bangladesh and India and road connectivity which will extend to Nepal and Bhutan.&nbsp;

He also said that India was requested to join India-Bangladesh-Myanmar-Thailand and beyond road belt to which New Delhi agreed.&nbsp;

On the Teesta river issue, the Bangladeshi minister said that both countries stood by the 2011 agreement, but due to some local problems, the delivery of the deal has not been done.&nbsp;

Even Jaishankar told me that "let's keep our fingers crossed" and I hope that the issue will be resolved, he said.&nbsp;

<h2>Rohingya crisis</h2>

He said that there are 1.1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and their effort is to provide them with education and technical knowledge.&nbsp;

Recognising that Rohingyas have been "persecuted, killed" in their own land, Momen said that they are negotiating with the Myanmar government.

He described Myanmar as a "friendly nation," and said that the country agreed to take these migrants home.&nbsp;

But "almost four years have passed, there has been lack of insecurity and Rohingyas don't trust their govt," he said. &nbsp;

He said that Bangladesh suggested Myanmar allow non-military civilian observers from friendly countries like ASEAN, India, Japan and others to monitor that these migrants are safely sent back, but Myanmar did not answer their requests.&nbsp;

But, he hoped that the Myanmar junta can find a solution to the massive crisis.&nbsp;

"The generals have visited some of the Rohingyas in Rakhine camps and assured them safety and security. These are good beginnings," the Bangladeshi minister said.&nbsp;

He recalled Myanmar's military administration in 1978 and 1992 when the country was able to repatriate 200,000 refugees each time, stressing that it "depends on political commitment".&nbsp;

Momen said soon a solution to this matter should be found otherwise the Rohingyas out of "frustration" could become radicals.&nbsp;

"If these Rohingyas will be here for very long without any hope...then there is always a possibility of developing radicalism," he said, adding that then it will be a problem for the entire region.&nbsp;

<h2>On rumours of India stopping Chinese vaccine trials&nbsp;</h2>

"These are unsubstantiated, rumours. The reality is India is our age-old friend," he said.&nbsp;

He called China Bangladesh's "development partner" and added that the country has good relations with Beijing.&nbsp;

Momen thanked India for sending two million vaccine doses and agreeing to provide 30 million more.&nbsp;

He also expressed hope that one day that the region one day becomes passport-free.&nbsp;

"I believe one day the whole of Indian sub-continent will be visa-free...just like European Union," the Bangladeshi foreign minister said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Bangladesh Minister of Foreign Affairs AK Abdul Momen said that Bangladesh is "very lucky" that Indian PM Narendra Modi will be a part of two of its major celebrations in an exclusive interview with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma.

Bangladesh Minister of Foreign Affairs AK Abdul Momen said that Bangladesh is "very lucky" that Indian PM Narendra Modi will be a part of two of its major celebrations in an exclusive interview with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma. PM Modi will be visiting Bangladesh on January 26 for the celebrations of 50 years of Bangladesh's Independence and the 100th birth anniversary of its Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Watch | "These are two great events for Bangladesh and we are very lucky that the Indian Prime Minister will join us in this celebration," Momen said. He also underscored that both countries have a "rock-solid relationship" and there has been a strong social, cultural and historical bond between people of both nations. The Bangladeshi foreign minister also said that during the country's independence movement, India came forward to help them "physically, mentally" and stressed that Indian soldiers "shed blood" for their cause. He also thanked his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar for keeping his word of visiting Bangladesh in-person once the coronavirus situation improved in India. "We have shown the world the height of the leadership maturity as we have resolved most of the major issues through dialogue, discussions and through consensus," Momen said. However, he said there are few issues remaining, like border killing, but added that both countries are on the same page to settle the matter and are against any loss of life. Momen also said that the countries agreed to open a bridge between Bangladesh and India and road connectivity which will extend to Nepal and Bhutan. He also said that India was requested to join India-Bangladesh-Myanmar-Thailand and beyond road belt to which New Delhi agreed. On the Teesta river issue, the Bangladeshi minister said that both countries stood by the 2011 agreement, but due to some local problems, the delivery of the deal has not been done. Even Jaishankar told me that "let's keep our fingers crossed" and I hope that the issue will be resolved, he said. Rohingya crisis He said that there are 1.1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and their effort is to provide them with education and technical knowledge. Recognising that Rohingyas have been "persecuted, killed" in their own land, Momen said that they are negotiating with the Myanmar government. He described Myanmar as a "friendly nation," and said that the country agreed to take these migrants home. But "almost four years have passed, there has been lack of insecurity and Rohingyas don't trust their govt," he said. He said that Bangladesh suggested Myanmar allow non-military civilian observers from friendly countries like ASEAN, India, Japan and others to monitor that these migrants are safely sent back, but Myanmar did not answer their requests. But, he hoped that the Myanmar junta can find a solution to the massive crisis. "The generals have visited some of the Rohingyas in Rakhine camps and assured them safety and security. These are good beginnings," the Bangladeshi minister said. He recalled Myanmar's military administration in 1978 and 1992 when the country was able to repatriate 200,000 refugees each time, stressing that it "depends on political commitment". Momen said soon a solution to this matter should be found otherwise the Rohingyas out of "frustration" could become radicals. "If these Rohingyas will be here for very long without any hope...then there is always a possibility of developing radicalism," he said, adding that then it will be a problem for the entire region. On rumours of India stopping Chinese vaccine trials "These are unsubstantiated, rumours. The reality is India is our age-old friend," he said. He called China Bangladesh's "development partner" and added that the country has good relations with Beijing. Momen thanked India for sending two million vaccine doses and agreeing to provide 30 million more. He also expressed hope that one day that the region one day becomes passport-free. "I believe one day the whole of Indian sub-continent will be visa-free...just like European Union," the Bangladeshi foreign minister said.

Bangladesh 'very lucky' to host PM Narendra Modi for major celebrations: Foreign Minister Momen

Bangladesh is under "no obligation" to shelter 81 Rohingya Muslim refugees adrift for almost two weeks on the Andaman Sea and being assisted by neighbouring India, said Bangladesh foreign minister A.K. Abdul Momen.

India`s coast guard found the 81 survivors and eight dead crammed onto a crippled fishing boat and were trying to arrange for Bangladesh to take them, Indian officials said on Friday.

But Momen told Reuters late on Friday that Bangladesh expects India, the closest country, or Myanmar, the Rohingyas` country of origin, to accept them.

"They are not Bangladesh nationals and in fact, they are Myanmar nationals. They were found&nbsp;1,700&nbsp;km (1,100 miles) away from the Bangladesh maritime territory and therefore, we have no obligation to take them," said Momen, who is in the United States.

"They were located 147 km (91 miles) away from Indian territory, 324 km (201 miles) away from Myanmar," he said by phone, adding other countries and organisations should take care of the refugees.

Indian foreign ministry officials did not respond to requests for comment.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday that India was "in discussions with the Government of Bangladesh to ensure their safe and secure repatriation."

India`s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment on whether it would accept the refugees onto Indian soil.

One senior Indian official, who declined to be named as he was not authorized to discuss the matter with media, said India planned to help the refugees with food and water, but it was not planning to take them ashore.

New Delhi did not sign the 1951 Refugee Convention, which spells out refugee rights and state responsibilities to protect them. Nor does it have a law protecting refugees, though it currently hosts more than 200,000, including some Rohingya.

More than 1 million Rohingya refugees from predominantly Buddhist Myanmar are living in teeming camps in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, including tens of thousands who fled after Myanmar`s military conducted a deadly crackdown in 2017.

Traffickers often lure Rohingya refugees with promises of work in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia.

The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, expressed alarm this week over the missing boat.

India on Thursday said around 47 of the occupants of the boat are in possession of ID cards issued to them by the UNHCR office in Bangladesh, stating that they are displaced Myanmar nationals.

NO `GLOBAL CONTRACT` TO AID REFUGEES

The refugees have been drifting in international waters after leaving southern Bangladesh on Feb. 11 in the hope of reaching Malaysia.

On Saturday, they were under the aid and surveillance of India as officials were holding talks to return them to Bangladesh, said the senior Indian official who is not authorised to speak to the media.

The boat, which sailed from the massive Cox`s Bazar refugee camp, was carrying 56 women, eight girls, 21 men and five boys.

Many of the survivors, according to Indian officials, were sick and suffering from extreme dehydration, having run out of food and water after the boat`s engine failed four days into their journey.

"Has Bangladesh been given the global contract and responsibility to take and rehabilitate all the Rohingya or boat people of the world?" Momen said. "No, not at all."

Momen said the UNHCR should also take responsibility as many people on the boat hold ID cards from the UNHCR office in Bangladesh.

"If (the refugees) are UNHCR card holders, why did they allow traffickers to take their card holders to adrift on the high sea leading to death?"

UNHCR officials were not immediately reachable for comment.

Bangladesh is under "no obligation" to shelter 81 Rohingya Muslim refugees adrift for almost two weeks on the Andaman Sea and being assisted by neighbouring India, said Bangladesh foreign minister A.

Bangladesh is under "no obligation" to shelter 81 Rohingya Muslim refugees adrift for almost two weeks on the Andaman Sea and being assisted by neighbouring India, said Bangladesh foreign minister A.K. Abdul Momen. India`s coast guard found the 81 survivors and eight dead crammed onto a crippled fishing boat and were trying to arrange for Bangladesh to take them, Indian officials said on Friday. But Momen told Reuters late on Friday that Bangladesh expects India, the closest country, or Myanmar, the Rohingyas` country of origin, to accept them. "They are not Bangladesh nationals and in fact, they are Myanmar nationals. They were found 1,700 km (1,100 miles) away from the Bangladesh maritime territory and therefore, we have no obligation to take them," said Momen, who is in the United States. "They were located 147 km (91 miles) away from Indian territory, 324 km (201 miles) away from Myanmar," he said by phone, adding other countries and organisations should take care of the refugees. Indian foreign ministry officials did not respond to requests for comment. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday that India was "in discussions with the Government of Bangladesh to ensure their safe and secure repatriation." India`s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment on whether it would accept the refugees onto Indian soil. One senior Indian official, who declined to be named as he was not authorized to discuss the matter with media, said India planned to help the refugees with food and water, but it was not planning to take them ashore. New Delhi did not sign the 1951 Refugee Convention, which spells out refugee rights and state responsibilities to protect them. Nor does it have a law protecting refugees, though it currently hosts more than 200,000, including some Rohingya. More than 1 million Rohingya refugees from predominantly Buddhist Myanmar are living in teeming camps in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, including tens of thousands who fled after Myanmar`s military conducted a deadly crackdown in 2017. Traffickers often lure Rohingya refugees with promises of work in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, expressed alarm this week over the missing boat. India on Thursday said around 47 of the occupants of the boat are in possession of ID cards issued to them by the UNHCR office in Bangladesh, stating that they are displaced Myanmar nationals. NO `GLOBAL CONTRACT` TO AID REFUGEES The refugees have been drifting in international waters after leaving southern Bangladesh on Feb. 11 in the hope of reaching Malaysia. On Saturday, they were under the aid and surveillance of India as officials were holding talks to return them to Bangladesh, said the senior Indian official who is not authorised to speak to the media. The boat, which sailed from the massive Cox`s Bazar refugee camp, was carrying 56 women, eight girls, 21 men and five boys. Many of the survivors, according to Indian officials, were sick and suffering from extreme dehydration, having run out of food and water after the boat`s engine failed four days into their journey. "Has Bangladesh been given the global contract and responsibility to take and rehabilitate all the Rohingya or boat people of the world?" Momen said. "No, not at all." Momen said the UNHCR should also take responsibility as many people on the boat hold ID cards from the UNHCR office in Bangladesh. "If (the refugees) are UNHCR card holders, why did they allow traffickers to take their card holders to adrift on the high sea leading to death?" UNHCR officials were not immediately reachable for comment.

Bangladesh under 'no obligation' to accept stranded Rohingya refugees, minister says

India's coast guard rescued 81 Rohingya refugees from a boat adrift in the Andaman Sea, India's external affairs ministry said on Thursday.&nbsp;

"The engine of the boat failed on February 15 and since then it has been drifting," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a press briefing.&nbsp;

Watch | Myanmar: Rohingyas condemn ouster of democratically-elected govt

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"Due to the severe conditions, we understand that eight occupants have died and one of the occupants had been missing since February 15."&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-refugee-agency-calls-for-rescue-of-rohingya-stranded-at-sea-365485">UN refugee agency calls for rescue of Rohingya stranded at sea</a>

The United Nations on Wednesday raised an alarm of the Rohingya refugees stranded in a boat in the Andaman Sea without food or water.&nbsp;

The boat's engine broke down after four days at sea and the refugees on board had run out of food and water with several people gone ill and facing extreme dehydration at the time they were rescued, the spokesperson added.&nbsp;

Two coast guard ships were sent to rescue the migrants, 23 of whom were children.&nbsp;

"When we learnt of the boat in distress, we immediately dispatched two coast guard ships to provide food, water and medical assistance to the occupants. Seven of them were administered IV fluids," &nbsp;Srivastava said.&nbsp;

About 90 Rohingya refugees started their journey nearly two weeks ago and the UN and rights groups had said that these migrants are suffering from acute dehydration and were ill.

India's coast guard rescued 81 Rohingya refugees from a boat adrift in the Andaman Sea, India's external affairs ministry said on Thursday. "The engine of the boat failed on February 15 and since then it has been drifting," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a press briefing.

India's coast guard rescued 81 Rohingya refugees from a boat adrift in the Andaman Sea, India's external affairs ministry said on Thursday. "The engine of the boat failed on February 15 and since then it has been drifting," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a press briefing. Watch | Myanmar: Rohingyas condemn ouster of democratically-elected govt "Due to the severe conditions, we understand that eight occupants have died and one of the occupants had been missing since February 15." Also read | UN refugee agency calls for rescue of Rohingya stranded at sea The United Nations on Wednesday raised an alarm of the Rohingya refugees stranded in a boat in the Andaman Sea without food or water. The boat's engine broke down after four days at sea and the refugees on board had run out of food and water with several people gone ill and facing extreme dehydration at the time they were rescued, the spokesperson added. Two coast guard ships were sent to rescue the migrants, 23 of whom were children. "When we learnt of the boat in distress, we immediately dispatched two coast guard ships to provide food, water and medical assistance to the occupants. Seven of them were administered IV fluids," Srivastava said. About 90 Rohingya refugees started their journey nearly two weeks ago and the UN and rights groups had said that these migrants are suffering from acute dehydration and were ill.

Indian coast guard rescues 81 Rohingya refugees stranded on boat in Andaman Sea

The United Nations refugee agency called on Monday for the immediate rescue of a group of Rohingya refugees adrift in their boat in the Andaman Sea without food or water, many of them ill and suffering from extreme dehydration.&nbsp;

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it did not know the exact location of the vessel and understood that some passengers had died. The boat had left southern Bangladesh about 10 days ago and experienced engine failure, it said.&nbsp;

"Immediate action is needed to save lives and prevent further tragedy," UNHCR said in a statement, offering to support governments by providing humanitarian help to those rescued.&nbsp;

A senior Indian coast guard official confirmed to Reuters that the boat has been tracked to an area off the Andaman and Nicobar islands.&nbsp;

At least eight people had died on the boat, according to Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project, a group that monitors the Rohingya crisis.&nbsp;

Lewa said Indian navy vessels that were close by had provided food and water to those on the boat. "But we still don't know what they will do afterwards," he added.&nbsp;

A spokesman for India's navy did not provide details of the situation but said a statement would be issued later.&nbsp;

According to UNHCR, the boat set out from the Bangladesh coastal district of Cox's Bazar, where about a million Rohingya live in dire conditions in sprawling refugee camps.&nbsp;

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after a deadly crackdown by security forces in Myanmar in 2017.&nbsp;

Authorities in Bangladesh said on Monday, they were unaware of any boats leaving the camps. "If we had such information, we would have stopped them," said Rafiqul Islam, an additional police superintendent in Cox's Bazar.&nbsp;

The United Nations refugee agency called on Monday for the immediate rescue of a group of Rohingya refugees adrift in their boat in the Andaman Sea without food or water, many of them ill and suffering from extreme dehydration.

The United Nations refugee agency called on Monday for the immediate rescue of a group of Rohingya refugees adrift in their boat in the Andaman Sea without food or water, many of them ill and suffering from extreme dehydration. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it did not know the exact location of the vessel and understood that some passengers had died. The boat had left southern Bangladesh about 10 days ago and experienced engine failure, it said. "Immediate action is needed to save lives and prevent further tragedy," UNHCR said in a statement, offering to support governments by providing humanitarian help to those rescued. A senior Indian coast guard official confirmed to Reuters that the boat has been tracked to an area off the Andaman and Nicobar islands. At least eight people had died on the boat, according to Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project, a group that monitors the Rohingya crisis. Lewa said Indian navy vessels that were close by had provided food and water to those on the boat. "But we still don't know what they will do afterwards," he added. A spokesman for India's navy did not provide details of the situation but said a statement would be issued later. According to UNHCR, the boat set out from the Bangladesh coastal district of Cox's Bazar, where about a million Rohingya live in dire conditions in sprawling refugee camps. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after a deadly crackdown by security forces in Myanmar in 2017. Authorities in Bangladesh said on Monday, they were unaware of any boats leaving the camps. "If we had such information, we would have stopped them," said Rafiqul Islam, an additional police superintendent in Cox's Bazar.

UN refugee agency calls for rescue of Rohingya stranded at sea

Bangladesh authorities have sent a fourth group of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to a newly developed island in the Bay of Bengal on Monday.&nbsp;

The roughly 2,000 Rohingya, who had been living in the sprawling refugee camps of Cox's Bazar, were sent to Bhasan Char, an island specifically developed to accommodate 100,000 of the one million Rohingya, who have fled from neighbouring Myanmar, M. Mozammel Haque, a commander of the Bangladesh navy, told reporters.&nbsp;

With Monday's group, more than 7,000 refugees have moved to the island since the process started in December.&nbsp;

The government has said the arrangement is good for the refugees and the island is designed to offer better living conditions. The government has insisted that refugees moving to the island have done so voluntarily.&nbsp;

More than one million Rohingya have fled waves of violent persecution in their native Myanmar and are currently living in overcrowded, squalid refugee camps in Cox's Bazar district.&nbsp;

Bangladesh has said that ultimately it is up to Myanmar to take the refugees back and has called on the international community to put pressure on Myanmar's government to ensure their safe return.&nbsp;

The latest relocation follows a February 1 coup in Myanmar that put the military firmly back in control. The refugees living in Bangladeshi camps say they are now even more fearful to go back to Myanmar.&nbsp;

The island surfaced only 20 years ago and was not previously inhabited. It was regularly submerged by monsoon rains but now has flood protection embankments, houses, hospitals and mosques built at a cost of more than $112 million by the Bangladesh navy.&nbsp;

The government said the new development schemes in the island have made the island safe for living.

Bangladesh authorities have sent a fourth group of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to a newly developed island in the Bay of Bengal on Monday. The roughly 2,000 Rohingya, who had been living in the sprawling refugee camps of Cox's Bazar, were sent to Bhasan Char, an island specifically developed to accommodate 100,000 of the one million Rohingya, who have fled from neighbouring Myanmar, M.

Bangladesh authorities have sent a fourth group of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to a newly developed island in the Bay of Bengal on Monday. The roughly 2,000 Rohingya, who had been living in the sprawling refugee camps of Cox's Bazar, were sent to Bhasan Char, an island specifically developed to accommodate 100,000 of the one million Rohingya, who have fled from neighbouring Myanmar, M. Mozammel Haque, a commander of the Bangladesh navy, told reporters. With Monday's group, more than 7,000 refugees have moved to the island since the process started in December. The government has said the arrangement is good for the refugees and the island is designed to offer better living conditions. The government has insisted that refugees moving to the island have done so voluntarily. More than one million Rohingya have fled waves of violent persecution in their native Myanmar and are currently living in overcrowded, squalid refugee camps in Cox's Bazar district. Bangladesh has said that ultimately it is up to Myanmar to take the refugees back and has called on the international community to put pressure on Myanmar's government to ensure their safe return. The latest relocation follows a February 1 coup in Myanmar that put the military firmly back in control. The refugees living in Bangladeshi camps say they are now even more fearful to go back to Myanmar. The island surfaced only 20 years ago and was not previously inhabited. It was regularly submerged by monsoon rains but now has flood protection embankments, houses, hospitals and mosques built at a cost of more than $112 million by the Bangladesh navy. The government said the new development schemes in the island have made the island safe for living.

Bangladesh sends fourth batch of Rohingya refugees to new island

Dozens of Rohingya, mostly women and children, were caught as they arrived by boat in Malaysia last month after fleeing a refugee camp in neighbouring Indonesia, police said Friday.&nbsp;

Almost 400 members of the persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar arrived by boat in Indonesia last year after perilous journeys, and just over 100 now remain at a camp there.

Many are believed to have enlisted traffickers to help them make the sea crossing, including women seeking to reunite with their husbands in the Southeast Asian country.

Relatively affluent, Muslim-majority Malaysia is the main destination for Rohingya fleeing misery in Bangladeshi refugee camps.&nbsp;

Police confirmed to AFP that a boat carrying 36 people -- 31 Rohingya and five Indonesians -- was intercepted as it landed on Malaysia's west coast on January 6.

"They entered Malaysia by boat from Tanjung Balai (on Indonesia's Sumatra island) and landed at a beach," said Abdul Rahim Jaafar, the director of internal security at the Royal Malaysia Police.&nbsp;

The Rohingya migrants numbered 17 women, seven men, five boys and two girls.

They were detained and 21 have been charged for entering Malaysia without valid documents, Abdul Rahim said. A further two people have been charged under anti-trafficking laws.&nbsp;&nbsp;

News of the boat landing tallies with accounts from Rohingya at the camp in Indonesia, who told AFP this week that scores of women had been smuggled to Malaysia.&nbsp;

While some were caught, others are believed to have successfully entered the country and reunited with their spouses, according to Rohingya and human rights groups.&nbsp;

Almost one million Rohingya live in sprawling camps in Bangladesh, many of which were set up after a bloody crackdown by Myanmar's military in 2017 drove them into the impoverished South Asian country.&nbsp;

Over the years, many have sought to flee by boat to Malaysia, enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys punctuated by illness and beatings.

More than 100,000 Rohingya live on the margins of society in Malaysia, registered as refugees but not allowed to work, forcing them into illegal construction and other low-paid jobs.&nbsp;

Dozens of Rohingya, mostly women and children, were caught as they arrived by boat in Malaysia last month after fleeing a refugee camp in neighbouring Indonesia, police said Friday.

Dozens of Rohingya, mostly women and children, were caught as they arrived by boat in Malaysia last month after fleeing a refugee camp in neighbouring Indonesia, police said Friday. Almost 400 members of the persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar arrived by boat in Indonesia last year after perilous journeys, and just over 100 now remain at a camp there. Many are believed to have enlisted traffickers to help them make the sea crossing, including women seeking to reunite with their husbands in the Southeast Asian country. Relatively affluent, Muslim-majority Malaysia is the main destination for Rohingya fleeing misery in Bangladeshi refugee camps. Police confirmed to AFP that a boat carrying 36 people -- 31 Rohingya and five Indonesians -- was intercepted as it landed on Malaysia's west coast on January 6. "They entered Malaysia by boat from Tanjung Balai (on Indonesia's Sumatra island) and landed at a beach," said Abdul Rahim Jaafar, the director of internal security at the Royal Malaysia Police. The Rohingya migrants numbered 17 women, seven men, five boys and two girls. They were detained and 21 have been charged for entering Malaysia without valid documents, Abdul Rahim said. A further two people have been charged under anti-trafficking laws. News of the boat landing tallies with accounts from Rohingya at the camp in Indonesia, who told AFP this week that scores of women had been smuggled to Malaysia. While some were caught, others are believed to have successfully entered the country and reunited with their spouses, according to Rohingya and human rights groups. Almost one million Rohingya live in sprawling camps in Bangladesh, many of which were set up after a bloody crackdown by Myanmar's military in 2017 drove them into the impoverished South Asian country. Over the years, many have sought to flee by boat to Malaysia, enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys punctuated by illness and beatings. More than 100,000 Rohingya live on the margins of society in Malaysia, registered as refugees but not allowed to work, forcing them into illegal construction and other low-paid jobs.

Dozens of Rohingya refugees caught arriving in Malaysia

Rohingya refugees who fled the violence in Myanmar condemn the overthrow of the democratically elected government by the military in the country.

Myanmar: Rohingyas condemn ouster of democratically-elected govt

Authorities in Bangladesh on Friday moved more than 1,750 Rohingya Muslims to a controversial island in the Bay of Bengal despite complaints made by refugees already there.

A Navy ship packed with migrants on its top deck set off from the port city of Chittagong on Friday. Officials said over 3,000 Rohingya would be taken by boat to Bhashan Char island on Friday and Saturday from congested camps on Bangladesh's border with Myanmar.

With the new arrivals, some 7,000 Rohingya would be on the 13,000-acre (53-square kilometre) island.

The government has, however, said about 100,000 people could be settled on Bhashan Char from the camps.

Bangladesh has struggled to cope with more than 700,000 Rohingyas who fled across the frontier in 2017 after a Myanmar military crackdown on the Muslim minority. That added to 300,000 already in the camps.

Rights groups say many of the Rohingya have been moved against&nbsp;their will and have also raised concerns over the safety of the island that is regularly flooded during the cyclone season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Authorities want to move many of the new inhabitants before the cyclone season starts in April.

Bhashan Char -- a silty strip that did not exist two decades ago -- is situated in a region where about 700,000 people have died in storms in the past 50 years.

The United Nations says the relocation should be voluntary and it has not been involved in the operation.

Authorities in Bangladesh on Friday moved more than 1,750 Rohingya Muslims to a controversial island in the Bay of Bengal despite complaints made by refugees already there.

Authorities in Bangladesh on Friday moved more than 1,750 Rohingya Muslims to a controversial island in the Bay of Bengal despite complaints made by refugees already there. A Navy ship packed with migrants on its top deck set off from the port city of Chittagong on Friday. Officials said over 3,000 Rohingya would be taken by boat to Bhashan Char island on Friday and Saturday from congested camps on Bangladesh's border with Myanmar. With the new arrivals, some 7,000 Rohingya would be on the 13,000-acre (53-square kilometre) island. The government has, however, said about 100,000 people could be settled on Bhashan Char from the camps. Bangladesh has struggled to cope with more than 700,000 Rohingyas who fled across the frontier in 2017 after a Myanmar military crackdown on the Muslim minority. That added to 300,000 already in the camps. Rights groups say many of the Rohingya have been moved against their will and have also raised concerns over the safety of the island that is regularly flooded during the cyclone season. Authorities want to move many of the new inhabitants before the cyclone season starts in April. Bhashan Char -- a silty strip that did not exist two decades ago -- is situated in a region where about 700,000 people have died in storms in the past 50 years. The United Nations says the relocation should be voluntary and it has not been involved in the operation.

Bangladesh continues to move thousands of Rohingya Muslims to remote island

Hundreds of Rohingya refugees are missing from a refugee camp in Indonesia. There are fears that the refugees have been trafficked to neighbouring Malaysia. The makeshift camp only has 112 refugees. The camp is located in Lhokseumawe on Indonesia's northern coast. In June and September last year, about 400 refugees had arrived at the camp.

Neither local authorities nor the UN could account for the whereabouts of the refugees from the stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar, who are feared to have enlisted traffickers to help them cross the Malacca strait into Malaysia.&nbsp;

"We don't know yet where they went," said Ridwan Jalil, head of the Rohingya taskforce in Lhokseumawe. "But they'll escape if they can find any hole to leave because that is their goal."

A military crackdown in 2017 (dubbed a genocide by UN investigators) forced 750,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee across the borders to Bangladesh.

Thousands have since paid smugglers to get them out of Bangladesh, enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys punctuated by illness, beatings by traffickers and near-starvation rations to reach Indonesia and Malaysia.&nbsp;

At least 18 Rohingya from the Lhokseumawe camp and over a dozen suspected traffickers were recently apprehended by police several hundred kilometres south in Medan city, a frequent staging point for illegal crossings into Malaysia, authorities said.&nbsp; 
The refugees have been asked not to leave the camp, the UN's refugee agency said, given the risks involved in making the journey.

"But (they) left despite our constant efforts to remind them about the danger and risks they could face by leaving, including if they used the services of smugglers," said UNHCR spokeswoman Mitra Suryono.

"But we have to remember that many of (them) have relatives in other countries such as Malaysia. That may be one of the reasons why they continued their journey," she added.

Rights groups blamed the Indonesian government, which drastically reduced security at the settlement when the Rohingya were placed under the supervision of UNHCR last month. 
&nbsp;

Hundreds of Rohingya refugees are missing from a refugee camp in Indonesia. There are fears that the refugees have been trafficked to neighbouring Malaysia. The makeshift camp only has 112 refugees.

Hundreds of Rohingya refugees are missing from a refugee camp in Indonesia. There are fears that the refugees have been trafficked to neighbouring Malaysia. The makeshift camp only has 112 refugees. The camp is located in Lhokseumawe on Indonesia's northern coast. In June and September last year, about 400 refugees had arrived at the camp. Neither local authorities nor the UN could account for the whereabouts of the refugees from the stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar, who are feared to have enlisted traffickers to help them cross the Malacca strait into Malaysia. "We don't know yet where they went," said Ridwan Jalil, head of the Rohingya taskforce in Lhokseumawe. "But they'll escape if they can find any hole to leave because that is their goal." A military crackdown in 2017 (dubbed a genocide by UN investigators) forced 750,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee across the borders to Bangladesh. Thousands have since paid smugglers to get them out of Bangladesh, enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys punctuated by illness, beatings by traffickers and near-starvation rations to reach Indonesia and Malaysia. At least 18 Rohingya from the Lhokseumawe camp and over a dozen suspected traffickers were recently apprehended by police several hundred kilometres south in Medan city, a frequent staging point for illegal crossings into Malaysia, authorities said. The refugees have been asked not to leave the camp, the UN's refugee agency said, given the risks involved in making the journey. "But (they) left despite our constant efforts to remind them about the danger and risks they could face by leaving, including if they used the services of smugglers," said UNHCR spokeswoman Mitra Suryono. "But we have to remember that many of (them) have relatives in other countries such as Malaysia. That may be one of the reasons why they continued their journey," she added. Rights groups blamed the Indonesian government, which drastically reduced security at the settlement when the Rohingya were placed under the supervision of UNHCR last month.

Hundreds of Rohingyas go missing from Indonesian refugee camp

Bangladesh is preparing to move 2000-3000 more Rohingya refugees to the Bhasan Char, a remote Bay of Bengal island that critics say is vulnerable to storms and flooding. Bangladesh has already relocated about 3500 Rohingya refugees on the island since early December.

Bhasan Char island emerged from the sea only two decades ago. One has to travel by boat from Chittagong for several hours in order to reach the island.&nbsp;

"Most probably, they will be taken to Chittagong tomorrow and the next day, they will be sent to Bhasan Char from there," Navy Commodore Abdullah Al Mamun Chowdhury told Reuters.

"Last time, we had preparations for 700 to 1,000 but finally more than 1,800 Rohingya moved there. People who moved earlier are calling their relatives and friends to go there. That's why more people are going there."

The move to send Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh has drawn criticism. Bangladesh justifies the move to the island saying overcrowding in the camps in Cox's Bazar is leading to crimes.

It also dismisses concerns of floods, citing the construction of a 2-metre (6.5 feet) embankment for 12 km (7.5 miles) to protect the island along with housing for 100,000 people, as well as facilities such as cyclone centres and hospitals.

Its actions, nevertheless, have attracted criticism from relief agencies that had not been consulted on the previous transfers. The UNHCR did not immediately respond to a query from Reuters on the latest planned movement.

U.S.-based advocacy group Refugees International has said the plan is "short-sighted and inhumane" while the Fortify Rights Group said the relocations may be "coerced and involuntary" and should cease immediately.

Bangladesh is preparing to move 2000-3000 more Rohingya refugees to the Bhasan Char, a remote Bay of Bengal island that critics say is vulnerable to storms and flooding.

Bangladesh is preparing to move 2000-3000 more Rohingya refugees to the Bhasan Char, a remote Bay of Bengal island that critics say is vulnerable to storms and flooding. Bangladesh has already relocated about 3500 Rohingya refugees on the island since early December. Bhasan Char island emerged from the sea only two decades ago. One has to travel by boat from Chittagong for several hours in order to reach the island. "Most probably, they will be taken to Chittagong tomorrow and the next day, they will be sent to Bhasan Char from there," Navy Commodore Abdullah Al Mamun Chowdhury told Reuters. "Last time, we had preparations for 700 to 1,000 but finally more than 1,800 Rohingya moved there. People who moved earlier are calling their relatives and friends to go there. That's why more people are going there." The move to send Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh has drawn criticism. Bangladesh justifies the move to the island saying overcrowding in the camps in Cox's Bazar is leading to crimes. It also dismisses concerns of floods, citing the construction of a 2-metre (6.5 feet) embankment for 12 km (7.5 miles) to protect the island along with housing for 100,000 people, as well as facilities such as cyclone centres and hospitals. Its actions, nevertheless, have attracted criticism from relief agencies that had not been consulted on the previous transfers. The UNHCR did not immediately respond to a query from Reuters on the latest planned movement. U.S.-based advocacy group Refugees International has said the plan is "short-sighted and inhumane" while the Fortify Rights Group said the relocations may be "coerced and involuntary" and should cease immediately.

Bangladesh to send more Rohingya refugees to remote island despite criticism

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