The UN chief on Sunday urged Myanmar to ensure the "safe" return of Rohingya refugees driven out by army operations, a plea made in front of Aung San Suu Kyi more than two years since her country cracked down on the Muslim minority.

Speaking at a summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Bangkok -- with Myanmar's de facto head Suu Kyi in the room -- Antonio Guterres said he remains "deeply concerned" about the plight of the Rohingya.

Violence in Rakhine state in 2017 forced more than 740,000 Rohingya to flee, most seeking refuge in overcrowded camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, in what UN investigators say amounted to genocide.

Myanmar does not recognise the Rohingya as citizens.

The country says it welcomes back those who agree to a bureaucratic status below full citizenship, and if they agree to live under tight guard after their villages were incinerated.

Guterres said Myanmar is responsible to "ensure a conducive environment for the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of refugees".

Suu Kyi sat in the room expressionless as Guterres spoke.

Only a few hundred Rohingya have returned to Myanmar so far, with many fearing further persecution in the Buddhist-majority country.

The secretary-general also called on Myanmar "to ensure humanitarian actors have full and unfettered access to areas of return".

Despite repeated entreaties by the UN and endless criticism by rights groups and world leaders, Myanmar has refused to bend in its approach to the Rohingya.

Much of Rakhine remains largely closed to aid workers and journalists, who can only visit on tightly controlled, military-chaperoned trips.

It has launched an extensive and increasingly bloody campaign against Rakhine Buddhists, who are also fighting the central state for greater autonomy.

Suu Kyi has come under fire for failing to use her moral force to defend Rohingya after the 2017 unrest.

The treatment of the minority has shredded her image as an upholder of human rights in the eyes of the Western world.

Myanmar's army has come under fire for covering up the crackdown, which it blamed on Rohingya "terrorists".

A leaked ASEAN report earlier this year said the repatriation effort could take a further two years.

Suu Kyi has faced pressure over her country's treatment of the Rohingya from fellow ASEAN members Malaysia and Indonesia, which are both Muslim-majority.

The UN chief on Sunday urged Myanmar to ensure the "safe" return of Rohingya refugees driven out by army operations, a plea made in front of Aung San Suu Kyi more than two years since her country cracked down on the Muslim minority.

The UN chief on Sunday urged Myanmar to ensure the "safe" return of Rohingya refugees driven out by army operations, a plea made in front of Aung San Suu Kyi more than two years since her country cracked down on the Muslim minority. Speaking at a summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Bangkok -- with Myanmar's de facto head Suu Kyi in the room -- Antonio Guterres said he remains "deeply concerned" about the plight of the Rohingya. Violence in Rakhine state in 2017 forced more than 740,000 Rohingya to flee, most seeking refuge in overcrowded camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, in what UN investigators say amounted to genocide. Myanmar does not recognise the Rohingya as citizens. The country says it welcomes back those who agree to a bureaucratic status below full citizenship, and if they agree to live under tight guard after their villages were incinerated. Guterres said Myanmar is responsible to "ensure a conducive environment for the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of refugees". Suu Kyi sat in the room expressionless as Guterres spoke. Only a few hundred Rohingya have returned to Myanmar so far, with many fearing further persecution in the Buddhist-majority country. The secretary-general also called on Myanmar "to ensure humanitarian actors have full and unfettered access to areas of return". Despite repeated entreaties by the UN and endless criticism by rights groups and world leaders, Myanmar has refused to bend in its approach to the Rohingya. Much of Rakhine remains largely closed to aid workers and journalists, who can only visit on tightly controlled, military-chaperoned trips. It has launched an extensive and increasingly bloody campaign against Rakhine Buddhists, who are also fighting the central state for greater autonomy. Suu Kyi has come under fire for failing to use her moral force to defend Rohingya after the 2017 unrest. The treatment of the minority has shredded her image as an upholder of human rights in the eyes of the Western world. Myanmar's army has come under fire for covering up the crackdown, which it blamed on Rohingya "terrorists". A leaked ASEAN report earlier this year said the repatriation effort could take a further two years. Suu Kyi has faced pressure over her country's treatment of the Rohingya from fellow ASEAN members Malaysia and Indonesia, which are both Muslim-majority.

United Nations chief urges Myanmar to ensure 'safe' return of Rohingya

Bangladesh police arrested a Rohingya man with $5 million of methamphetamine pills in their biggest narcotics haul this year, officials said Monday.

Special police staged a raid on a beach in the Cox's Bazar district on the border with Myanmar on Sunday following a tip that a trawler carrying the drugs would land there, a spokesman said.

The spokesman said 800,000 pills were found in sacks in the trawler and one Rohingya suspect was detained while several others escaped.

Some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims flooded across the border after a Myanmar military clampdown in August 2017 and drug dealing has become a growing problem in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar where they live.

The seizure was the biggest made this year of the methamphetamine pills, known as yaba, which have become a popular drug among young people in the nation of 168 million.

Since a crackdown was launched last year, more than 500 suspected drug traffickers -- including at least 25 Rohingya -- have been shot dead by police and security forces. 
&nbsp;

Bangladesh police arrested a Rohingya man with $5 million of methamphetamine pills in their biggest narcotics haul this year, officials said Monday. Special police staged a raid on a beach in the Cox's Bazar district on the border with Myanmar on Sunday following a tip that a trawler carrying the drugs would land there, a spokesman said.

Bangladesh police arrested a Rohingya man with $5 million of methamphetamine pills in their biggest narcotics haul this year, officials said Monday. Special police staged a raid on a beach in the Cox's Bazar district on the border with Myanmar on Sunday following a tip that a trawler carrying the drugs would land there, a spokesman said. The spokesman said 800,000 pills were found in sacks in the trawler and one Rohingya suspect was detained while several others escaped. Some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims flooded across the border after a Myanmar military clampdown in August 2017 and drug dealing has become a growing problem in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar where they live. The seizure was the biggest made this year of the methamphetamine pills, known as yaba, which have become a popular drug among young people in the nation of 168 million. Since a crackdown was launched last year, more than 500 suspected drug traffickers -- including at least 25 Rohingya -- have been shot dead by police and security forces.

$5 million drug haul as Rohingya detained in Bangladesh

Authorities here have said that thousands of Rohingya living in the refugee camps in southern coastal regions of Bangladesh will be relocated to an island in the Bay of Bengal that is prone to flooding.

The country`s refugee commissioner refused to divulge when the Rohingyas would be moved, but a senior Navy officer involved in building facilities on the island said the relocation could start by December, with some 500 refugees sent daily, Al Jazeera reported.

Some 740,000 Rohingyas fled Myanmar in August 2017 in the face of a military crackdown, joining 200,000 refugees already in makeshift tent settlements at Cox`s Bazar.

Dhaka has long wanted to move 100,000 refugees to the islet, saying it would take pressure off the overcrowded border camps where almost a million Rohingya are currently residing.

Bangladesh had been planning since last year to relocate the refugees to the desolate flood-prone site, which is an hour by boat from the mainland.

Rights groups have warned that the island, which emerged from the sea only about two decades ago, might not be able to withstand violent storms during the annual monsoon season.

Residents from nearby Hatiya Island told Human Rights Watch the island was not habitable."Part of the island is eroded by the monsoon every year," a man was quoted as saying.

"In that time, we never dare go to that island, so how will thousands of Rohingya live there?" he added further.

In the past half-century, powerful cyclones have killed hundreds of thousands of people in the Meghna River estuary where the island is located.

Rohingya leaders would be taken to Bhashan Char to view the facilities and living conditions soon, the commissioner said.

The official also said that a nine-foot (three-metre) high embankment has been built on the island to ensure the safety of the refugees from tidal surges during cyclones, along with a warehouse to store months worth of rations.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation deal two years ago, but virtually no refugees have returned to date, with UN investigators describing conditions in Myanmar as "unsafe, unsustainable and impossible".&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Authorities here have said that thousands of Rohingya living in the refugee camps in southern coastal regions of Bangladesh will be relocated to an island in the Bay of Bengal that is prone to flooding.

Authorities here have said that thousands of Rohingya living in the refugee camps in southern coastal regions of Bangladesh will be relocated to an island in the Bay of Bengal that is prone to flooding. The country`s refugee commissioner refused to divulge when the Rohingyas would be moved, but a senior Navy officer involved in building facilities on the island said the relocation could start by December, with some 500 refugees sent daily, Al Jazeera reported. Some 740,000 Rohingyas fled Myanmar in August 2017 in the face of a military crackdown, joining 200,000 refugees already in makeshift tent settlements at Cox`s Bazar. Dhaka has long wanted to move 100,000 refugees to the islet, saying it would take pressure off the overcrowded border camps where almost a million Rohingya are currently residing. Bangladesh had been planning since last year to relocate the refugees to the desolate flood-prone site, which is an hour by boat from the mainland. Rights groups have warned that the island, which emerged from the sea only about two decades ago, might not be able to withstand violent storms during the annual monsoon season. Residents from nearby Hatiya Island told Human Rights Watch the island was not habitable."Part of the island is eroded by the monsoon every year," a man was quoted as saying. "In that time, we never dare go to that island, so how will thousands of Rohingya live there?" he added further. In the past half-century, powerful cyclones have killed hundreds of thousands of people in the Meghna River estuary where the island is located. Rohingya leaders would be taken to Bhashan Char to view the facilities and living conditions soon, the commissioner said. The official also said that a nine-foot (three-metre) high embankment has been built on the island to ensure the safety of the refugees from tidal surges during cyclones, along with a warehouse to store months worth of rations. Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation deal two years ago, but virtually no refugees have returned to date, with UN investigators describing conditions in Myanmar as "unsafe, unsustainable and impossible".

Rohingya refugees to relocate to flood-prone island next month

The United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Friday paid a visit to a school for Rohingya refugees children in Kuala Lumpur during a visit to Malaysia.

The visit was the first by a current U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to Malaysia.

During her visit, Bachelet met with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed and other government officials to discuss efforts to protect and uphold human rights in the country.

She expressed hope for Malaysia to rectify the UN Refugee Convention saying that refugees should be given access to health care, education and given the right to work.

The United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Friday paid a visit to a school for Rohingya refugees children in Kuala Lumpur during a visit to Malaysia.

The United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Friday paid a visit to a school for Rohingya refugees children in Kuala Lumpur during a visit to Malaysia. The visit was the first by a current U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to Malaysia. During her visit, Bachelet met with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed and other government officials to discuss efforts to protect and uphold human rights in the country. She expressed hope for Malaysia to rectify the UN Refugee Convention saying that refugees should be given access to health care, education and given the right to work.

U.N. Human Rights Commissioner meets Rohingya refugees in Malaysia

The Bangladesh military said Thursday it has ordered an investigation after a Rohingya family in a refugee camp accused army troops of raping a 12-year-old girl.

The inquiry comes as around a million Rohingya in vast camps in Bangladesh face increasing hostility two years after fleeing a military offensive in Myanmar.

Mohammad Osman, an elder brother of the alleged victim, said three soldiers entered their shanty at the Nayapara Rohingya camp on Sunday evening and sexually assaulted his sister.

"She was raped as one of them tightly held her mouth," he told AFP by phone, referring to the border district where the refugee camps are located.

A spokesman of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah ibn Zaid, said they were investigating.

"We have formed a probe committee to investigate the incident and find out the facts. If (they are) found guilty, exemplary punishment will be given," ibn Zaid told AFP.

Doctor Shaheen Abdur Rahman said the girl was examined at the central hospital in Cox's Bazar but he refused to comment on the findings due to court restrictions.

A spokesman of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said they were also investigating the incident.

"We are aware of the reports. In such cases, individuals are entitled to medical, physical and psychological support, as well as access to due process," UNHCR spokesman Joseph Tripura said in a statement to AFP.

Tensions

Tensions have risen in recent weeks with an increasingly frustrated Bangladeshi government enacting several measures making life harder for the refugees.

These include blocking mobile internet, confiscating SIM cards and mobile phones and filing hundreds of cases for illegally obtaining citizenship cards.

UN experts have expressed "serious concerns" about the restrictions.

Last week Bangladesh's home minister said that barbed-wire fencing, guard towers and cameras would be erected around the Rohingya camps, sparking criticism from rights groups.

Checkpoints set up on the main highways leading to the camps have stopped Rohingya and sent them back to the settlements when they try to travel to other parts of Bangladesh.

Hundreds of Rohingya found elsewhere in the South Asian nation have also been detained and returned to the camps.

Authorities say the internet ban was sparked by security fears after the Rohingya were blamed for the murder of a local politician and drug smuggling.

More than a dozen Rohingya -- most accused of involvement in the murder of the politician -- have been shot dead by security forces in recent weeks. &nbsp;

Officials also said on Thursday that 45 Rohingya have been charged with infiltration after they were detained illegally working in a ship-breaking yard.

Rights activists said this could be the first time Rohingya have been charged with infiltration -- an offence that carries five years in jail.

The Bangladesh military said Thursday it has ordered an investigation after a Rohingya family in a refugee camp accused army troops of raping a 12-year-old girl.

The Bangladesh military said Thursday it has ordered an investigation after a Rohingya family in a refugee camp accused army troops of raping a 12-year-old girl. The inquiry comes as around a million Rohingya in vast camps in Bangladesh face increasing hostility two years after fleeing a military offensive in Myanmar. Mohammad Osman, an elder brother of the alleged victim, said three soldiers entered their shanty at the Nayapara Rohingya camp on Sunday evening and sexually assaulted his sister. "She was raped as one of them tightly held her mouth," he told AFP by phone, referring to the border district where the refugee camps are located. A spokesman of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah ibn Zaid, said they were investigating. "We have formed a probe committee to investigate the incident and find out the facts. If (they are) found guilty, exemplary punishment will be given," ibn Zaid told AFP. Doctor Shaheen Abdur Rahman said the girl was examined at the central hospital in Cox's Bazar but he refused to comment on the findings due to court restrictions. A spokesman of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said they were also investigating the incident. "We are aware of the reports. In such cases, individuals are entitled to medical, physical and psychological support, as well as access to due process," UNHCR spokesman Joseph Tripura said in a statement to AFP. Tensions Tensions have risen in recent weeks with an increasingly frustrated Bangladeshi government enacting several measures making life harder for the refugees. These include blocking mobile internet, confiscating SIM cards and mobile phones and filing hundreds of cases for illegally obtaining citizenship cards. UN experts have expressed "serious concerns" about the restrictions. Last week Bangladesh's home minister said that barbed-wire fencing, guard towers and cameras would be erected around the Rohingya camps, sparking criticism from rights groups. Checkpoints set up on the main highways leading to the camps have stopped Rohingya and sent them back to the settlements when they try to travel to other parts of Bangladesh. Hundreds of Rohingya found elsewhere in the South Asian nation have also been detained and returned to the camps. Authorities say the internet ban was sparked by security fears after the Rohingya were blamed for the murder of a local politician and drug smuggling. More than a dozen Rohingya -- most accused of involvement in the murder of the politician -- have been shot dead by security forces in recent weeks. Officials also said on Thursday that 45 Rohingya have been charged with infiltration after they were detained illegally working in a ship-breaking yard. Rights activists said this could be the first time Rohingya have been charged with infiltration -- an offence that carries five years in jail.

Bangladesh troops accused of raping Rohingya girl

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has arrived in India on a 4 day India visit, the first since her landslide victory in December of 2018. Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das, Bangladesh's HC Syed Muazzem Ali and JS (Bangladesh Myanmar) in the Ministry of external affairs Vikram Doraiswami received the Bangladeshi PM at the airport.

During the visit around a dozen of bilateral agreements will be signed and focus will be on increasing bilateral cooperation including discussing several issues like Teesta river water sharing, Rohingya issue &amp; NRC.

"We expect that the PM’s visit to India will further enhance the bilateral relations...We will discuss a framework agreement on the Teesta and seven other common rivers", Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen was quoted by Bangladeshi media.

On the Rohingya issue, Momen said, "If the Rohingya crisis prolongs, there may be pockets of radicalisation...We want to convey this message to India"

The NRC or citizens register development in Assam will also be raised with Momen saying, "We have trust in what the Indian authorities told us. Yet, we will raise the issue"

The Indian side, including Prime Minister Modi and External affairs minister S Jaishankar have already assured the Bangladeshi side to not worry on the developments in Assam and it will not impact Dhaka.

Saturday will be the main day of engagement with PM Hasina holding bilateral talks with PM Modi and calling on President Ram Nath Kovind. The two&nbsp;Prime Ministers will jointly inaugurate three bilateral projects via video link.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the Chief Guest at the India Economic Summit organized by the World Economic Forum on October&nbsp;03-04, 2019.

Hasina will also meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Shyam Benegal. Remember Benegal is the director of the joint India Bangladesh film which is being planned on the Father of Nation of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The visit comes a week after PM Modi met Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New York on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly.&nbsp;

A ministry of external affairs release said, "The two leaders reviewed the excellent state of bilateral relations and cooperation, and agreed to maintain the momentum to take the India-Bangladesh relationship to new heights".

Both the leaders "reiterated their zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and violent extremism" and "agreed that a strong partnership in security had built trust and mutual confidence between the two countries."

Sheikh Hasina also participated in the special commemorative event organized by India to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi at the united nations last Tuesday.

There has been a number of high-level engagements between the two&nbsp;countries. PM Modi visited the country in 2015, it was followed by PM Hasina's India visit in 2016 for BRICS-BIMSTEC summit in 2016 and state visit in 2017. PM Hasina again visited in India in 2018 for the joint inauguration of Bangladesh Bhaban at Santiniketan University. During her visit, she was awarded a Doctor of Literature (D.Lit) by Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol.

PM Modi was one of the first global leaders to congratulate PM Hasina for her election victory on 30th December 2018. Last month EAM Jaishankar visited the country and met the top leadership.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has arrived in India on a 4 day India visit, the first since her landslide victory in December of 2018. Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das, Bangladesh's HC Syed Muazzem Ali and JS (Bangladesh Myanmar) in the Ministry of external affairs Vikram Doraiswami received the Bangladeshi PM at the airport.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has arrived in India on a 4 day India visit, the first since her landslide victory in December of 2018. Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das, Bangladesh's HC Syed Muazzem Ali and JS (Bangladesh Myanmar) in the Ministry of external affairs Vikram Doraiswami received the Bangladeshi PM at the airport. During the visit around a dozen of bilateral agreements will be signed and focus will be on increasing bilateral cooperation including discussing several issues like Teesta river water sharing, Rohingya issue & NRC. "We expect that the PM’s visit to India will further enhance the bilateral relations...We will discuss a framework agreement on the Teesta and seven other common rivers", Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen was quoted by Bangladeshi media. On the Rohingya issue, Momen said, "If the Rohingya crisis prolongs, there may be pockets of radicalisation...We want to convey this message to India" The NRC or citizens register development in Assam will also be raised with Momen saying, "We have trust in what the Indian authorities told us. Yet, we will raise the issue" The Indian side, including Prime Minister Modi and External affairs minister S Jaishankar have already assured the Bangladeshi side to not worry on the developments in Assam and it will not impact Dhaka. Saturday will be the main day of engagement with PM Hasina holding bilateral talks with PM Modi and calling on President Ram Nath Kovind. The two Prime Ministers will jointly inaugurate three bilateral projects via video link. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the Chief Guest at the India Economic Summit organized by the World Economic Forum on October 03-04, 2019. Hasina will also meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Shyam Benegal. Remember Benegal is the director of the joint India Bangladesh film which is being planned on the Father of Nation of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The visit comes a week after PM Modi met Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New York on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly. A ministry of external affairs release said, "The two leaders reviewed the excellent state of bilateral relations and cooperation, and agreed to maintain the momentum to take the India-Bangladesh relationship to new heights". Both the leaders "reiterated their zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and violent extremism" and "agreed that a strong partnership in security had built trust and mutual confidence between the two countries." Sheikh Hasina also participated in the special commemorative event organized by India to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi at the united nations last Tuesday. There has been a number of high-level engagements between the two countries. PM Modi visited the country in 2015, it was followed by PM Hasina's India visit in 2016 for BRICS-BIMSTEC summit in 2016 and state visit in 2017. PM Hasina again visited in India in 2018 for the joint inauguration of Bangladesh Bhaban at Santiniketan University. During her visit, she was awarded a Doctor of Literature (D.Lit) by Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol. PM Modi was one of the first global leaders to congratulate PM Hasina for her election victory on 30th December 2018. Last month EAM Jaishankar visited the country and met the top leadership.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina arrives in India on 4-day visit; Teesta water sharing, Rohingya issue on agenda

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who remain inside Myanmar face systematic persecution, a U.N. fact-finding mission said on Monday (September 16), repeating calls for top generals to face trial.

Rohingya still in Myanmar face violence and persecution, U.N. Says

UN human rights experts have raised new concerns about the treatment of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh following a deadly backlash over the killing of a ruling party official.

The experts called for an "impartial" investigation into the deaths of at least six Rohingya men in gunfights with police after they were named as suspects in the killing of Omar Faruk, a youth wing official of the ruling Awami League.

Following the murder, local people vandalised refugee shops and staged protests in one of the multiple camps now home to a total of more than 900,000 Muslim Rohingya who have fled oppression in neighbouring Myanmar.

In a statement released late Monday in Geneva, the six specially appointed UN experts on rights issues backed Bangladesh's probe into the murder of Faruk. &nbsp;&nbsp;

But they added, "it is equally necessary to ensure that the presumption of innocence is upheld and that reactionary, summary and ad hoc justice is not doled out solely to placate the legitimate concerns of the host community."

"We urge the Bangladeshi government to carry out an independent, impartial and effective investigation into all deaths that have occurred with regards to this case," they said.

Police inspector Ali Arshad told AFP at least 40 Rohingya have been killed in Bangladesh since July last year. Of those, at least 33 were killed by Bangladeshi security forces in gunfights and another seven were killed in shootouts among Rohingya groups, he said.

Rights groups have accused Bangladesh police of staging many of these gunfights as a cover for the extrajudicial killings of Rohingya, mainly suspects in drug smuggling.

The UN experts also expressed "serious concerns" over "tight new restrictions" and a communication clampdown in the refugee camps, where there is an effective internet blackout.&nbsp;

The clampdown follows the failure of a new attempt to repatriate some of the refugees and an August 25 rally in which some 200,000 Rohingya marked two years since the exodus.

The UN experts said that since the rally, a number of organisers have been questioned and subjected to "intimidation".

"We are alarmed by the sudden crackdown of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association," they said.

"These restrictions have been applied in a discriminatory manner against members of the Rohingya minority," said the experts who added that the "curfews and communications shutdowns could facilitate further serious human rights abuses against them."

UN human rights experts have raised new concerns about the treatment of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh following a deadly backlash over the killing of a ruling party official.

UN human rights experts have raised new concerns about the treatment of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh following a deadly backlash over the killing of a ruling party official. The experts called for an "impartial" investigation into the deaths of at least six Rohingya men in gunfights with police after they were named as suspects in the killing of Omar Faruk, a youth wing official of the ruling Awami League. Following the murder, local people vandalised refugee shops and staged protests in one of the multiple camps now home to a total of more than 900,000 Muslim Rohingya who have fled oppression in neighbouring Myanmar. In a statement released late Monday in Geneva, the six specially appointed UN experts on rights issues backed Bangladesh's probe into the murder of Faruk. But they added, "it is equally necessary to ensure that the presumption of innocence is upheld and that reactionary, summary and ad hoc justice is not doled out solely to placate the legitimate concerns of the host community." "We urge the Bangladeshi government to carry out an independent, impartial and effective investigation into all deaths that have occurred with regards to this case," they said. Police inspector Ali Arshad told AFP at least 40 Rohingya have been killed in Bangladesh since July last year. Of those, at least 33 were killed by Bangladeshi security forces in gunfights and another seven were killed in shootouts among Rohingya groups, he said. Rights groups have accused Bangladesh police of staging many of these gunfights as a cover for the extrajudicial killings of Rohingya, mainly suspects in drug smuggling. The UN experts also expressed "serious concerns" over "tight new restrictions" and a communication clampdown in the refugee camps, where there is an effective internet blackout. The clampdown follows the failure of a new attempt to repatriate some of the refugees and an August 25 rally in which some 200,000 Rohingya marked two years since the exodus. The UN experts said that since the rally, a number of organisers have been questioned and subjected to "intimidation". "We are alarmed by the sudden crackdown of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association," they said. "These restrictions have been applied in a discriminatory manner against members of the Rohingya minority," said the experts who added that the "curfews and communications shutdowns could facilitate further serious human rights abuses against them."

United Nations experts urge probe of Rohingya killings in Bangladesh

When more than 730,000 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/600000-rohingyas-in-myanmar-still-at-serious-risk-of-genocide-united-nations-249971">Rohingya fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar </a>in 2017, Bangladeshi journalist Sharif Azad was sympathetic to the plight of his fellow Muslims, survivors of a military-led crackdown the United Nations has branded genocide.

The reporter, from the southern corner of Bangladesh that has become home to the world’s largest refugee settlement, said he wrote accounts of the traumatized, exhausted Rohingya and did what he could to help. 
“All the people did it,” said Azad, in his office near a bustling market outside the town of Cox`s Bazar.

"We provided the food. We provided land.”

Two years on, Azad runs a campaign against the Rohingya, aiming to see them confined to their camps behind barbed wire until they can be sent back to Myanmar.

“We will continue our movement until repatriation happens,” said Azad, who said his group now has 1,000 members, and is one of several that have sprung up with the same aims.

Most Rohingya Muslims are denied citizenship in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are regarded as interlopers, illegal immigrants from South Asia.

Rohingya were driven from their villages in Myanmar into Bangladesh in the 1970s and again in the 1990s, fleeing what they said was persecution at the hands of the Myanmar military.

But the latest influx has been the biggest.

Myanmar denies accusations of genocide. It says its armed forces have carried out legitimate operations against Rohingya militants who attacked security forces.

In Bangladesh, the deterioration of relations between the "host" community and the newcomers has been so precipitous some now fear serious violence.

"I`ve lived to see three influxes and this is the worst,” said Bangladeshi labourer Khadir Hussein, 60, in a tea shop in the border town of Teknaf. 
“We feel if they attack us, how will we survive? We`re a minority in our land.”

'Taking measures'

Many Bangladeshis accuse the Rohingya of crime, taking jobs and pushing down wages.

Once-lush forests have been cleared for the camps and the road to Cox`s Bazar, the nearest major town, is clogged with aid trucks. A trip that used to take an hour can now take four on rutted, broken roads.

Recently, a hundreds-strong mob blocked roads and destroyed shops frequented by Rohingya as well as some UN offices, in a protest against the killing of a Bangladeshi ruling party youth leader.

Several Rohingya accused of involvement in the murder were later shot dead in what the police said were gunfights.

Senior Cox’s Bazar police official Iqbal Hossain said there had been a rise in crime, though the rate among refugees was no higher than that among Bangladeshis.

He acknowledged the growing animosity towards the refugees. 
"This is going to be tough to control so many people,” he said. “The government is taking measures to prevent any untoward situation.”

In a bamboo camp shelter, four refugees who asked not to be identified said they had fled from their homes after the recent mob attack, scrambling to gather children and belongings, in a state of terror they likened to their panicked flight from Myanmar.

"When we came here, we came to save our lives,” said one refugee, his voice shaking,

"But here, we`re not safe. We`re very afraid.”

Bangladesh has said all of the Rohingya must go home but not one agreed to last month in a second bid to get a repatriation process going.&nbsp; 
Refugees cite fears of violence and persecution back in Myanmar.

'Bad elements'

With tension between the communities rising, authorities have clamped down, cutting the internet in the camps and trying to confiscate phones, citing security concerns.

The sale of phone SIM cards to refugees has been forbidden.

H.T. Imam, an adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accused "foreign forces" of mobilising the Rohingya against Bangladesh`s interests. He called the role of international aid agencies "mysterious".

"It is becoming clear there are unwanted people and bad elements among the Rohingyas, and they have been used by foreign forces,” he said.

"The camps should be surrounded by barbed wire to stop all ... criminal activities.”

UNHCR spokeswoman Caroline Gluck said in an email the agency "would recommend the adoption of security measures that do not impact upon the ability of refugees to access basic services and rights and live safely".

Regarding the communication restrictions, she said: "Technology has been an important way for the refugees to communicate with family and friends, and humanitarian agencies to disseminate and access information.”

But technology has also been used to fuel fear and suspicion. 
A flurry of rumours about Rohingya and international aid groups has appeared on Facebook and in newspapers.

In August, Azad posted a photo on Facebook showing piles of sharp objects and accused a non-governmental group of hiring the shop making them to arm refugees. The post was shared hundreds of times.

But staff at the shop told Reuters the tools were not weapons and the Bangladeshi NGO caught up in the affair said they were weeding tools for villagers.

The febrile atmosphere is contributing to a sense of despair. 
“They have the pen, they have the gun, they have a country. I have nothing,” one Rohingya man told Reuters.

“Please pray for us,” he said.

When more than 730,000 Rohingya fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar in 2017, Bangladeshi journalist Sharif Azad was sympathetic to the plight of his fellow Muslims, survivors of a military-led crackdown the United Nations has branded genocide.

When more than 730,000 Rohingya fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar in 2017, Bangladeshi journalist Sharif Azad was sympathetic to the plight of his fellow Muslims, survivors of a military-led crackdown the United Nations has branded genocide. The reporter, from the southern corner of Bangladesh that has become home to the world’s largest refugee settlement, said he wrote accounts of the traumatized, exhausted Rohingya and did what he could to help. “All the people did it,” said Azad, in his office near a bustling market outside the town of Cox`s Bazar. "We provided the food. We provided land.” Two years on, Azad runs a campaign against the Rohingya, aiming to see them confined to their camps behind barbed wire until they can be sent back to Myanmar. “We will continue our movement until repatriation happens,” said Azad, who said his group now has 1,000 members, and is one of several that have sprung up with the same aims. Most Rohingya Muslims are denied citizenship in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are regarded as interlopers, illegal immigrants from South Asia. Rohingya were driven from their villages in Myanmar into Bangladesh in the 1970s and again in the 1990s, fleeing what they said was persecution at the hands of the Myanmar military. But the latest influx has been the biggest. Myanmar denies accusations of genocide. It says its armed forces have carried out legitimate operations against Rohingya militants who attacked security forces. In Bangladesh, the deterioration of relations between the "host" community and the newcomers has been so precipitous some now fear serious violence. "I`ve lived to see three influxes and this is the worst,” said Bangladeshi labourer Khadir Hussein, 60, in a tea shop in the border town of Teknaf. “We feel if they attack us, how will we survive? We`re a minority in our land.” 'Taking measures' Many Bangladeshis accuse the Rohingya of crime, taking jobs and pushing down wages. Once-lush forests have been cleared for the camps and the road to Cox`s Bazar, the nearest major town, is clogged with aid trucks. A trip that used to take an hour can now take four on rutted, broken roads. Recently, a hundreds-strong mob blocked roads and destroyed shops frequented by Rohingya as well as some UN offices, in a protest against the killing of a Bangladeshi ruling party youth leader. Several Rohingya accused of involvement in the murder were later shot dead in what the police said were gunfights. Senior Cox’s Bazar police official Iqbal Hossain said there had been a rise in crime, though the rate among refugees was no higher than that among Bangladeshis. He acknowledged the growing animosity towards the refugees. "This is going to be tough to control so many people,” he said. “The government is taking measures to prevent any untoward situation.” In a bamboo camp shelter, four refugees who asked not to be identified said they had fled from their homes after the recent mob attack, scrambling to gather children and belongings, in a state of terror they likened to their panicked flight from Myanmar. "When we came here, we came to save our lives,” said one refugee, his voice shaking, "But here, we`re not safe. We`re very afraid.” Bangladesh has said all of the Rohingya must go home but not one agreed to last month in a second bid to get a repatriation process going. Refugees cite fears of violence and persecution back in Myanmar. 'Bad elements' With tension between the communities rising, authorities have clamped down, cutting the internet in the camps and trying to confiscate phones, citing security concerns. The sale of phone SIM cards to refugees has been forbidden. H.T. Imam, an adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accused "foreign forces" of mobilising the Rohingya against Bangladesh`s interests. He called the role of international aid agencies "mysterious". "It is becoming clear there are unwanted people and bad elements among the Rohingyas, and they have been used by foreign forces,” he said. "The camps should be surrounded by barbed wire to stop all ... criminal activities.” UNHCR spokeswoman Caroline Gluck said in an email the agency "would recommend the adoption of security measures that do not impact upon the ability of refugees to access basic services and rights and live safely". Regarding the communication restrictions, she said: "Technology has been an important way for the refugees to communicate with family and friends, and humanitarian agencies to disseminate and access information.” But technology has also been used to fuel fear and suspicion. A flurry of rumours about Rohingya and international aid groups has appeared on Facebook and in newspapers. In August, Azad posted a photo on Facebook showing piles of sharp objects and accused a non-governmental group of hiring the shop making them to arm refugees. The post was shared hundreds of times. But staff at the shop told Reuters the tools were not weapons and the Bangladeshi NGO caught up in the affair said they were weeding tools for villagers. The febrile atmosphere is contributing to a sense of despair. “They have the pen, they have the gun, they have a country. I have nothing,” one Rohingya man told Reuters. “Please pray for us,” he said.

Rohingya in Bangladesh face tide of hostility as welcome turns to fear

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-pm-blames-myanmar-for-rohingya-repatriation-failure-249197">Rohingyas remaining in Myanmar</a> still face a "serious risk of genocide", UN investigators said on Monday, warning the repatriation of a million already driven from the country by the army remains "impossible".

The fact-finding mission to Myanmar, set up by the Human Rights Council, last year branded the army operations in 2017 as "genocide" and called for the prosecution of top generals, including army chief Min Aung Hlaing.

Some 740,000 Rohingya fled burning villages, bringing accounts of murder, rape and torture over the border to sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh, where survivors of previous waves of persecution already languish.

But in a damning report, the UN team said the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-halts-new-sim-card-sale-in-rohingya-camps-248751">600,000 Rohingya</a> still inside Myanmar's Rakhine state remain in deteriorating and "deplorable" conditions.

"Myanmar continues to harbour genocidal intent and the Rohingya remain under serious risk of genocide," the investigators said in their final report on Myanmar, due to be presented Tuesday in Geneva.

The country is "denying wrongdoing, destroying evidence, refusing to conduct effective investigations and clearing, razing, confiscating and building on land from which it displaced Rohingya," it said.

Myanmar military spokesman Zaw Min Tun rejected the team's findings, calling them "one-sided".

"Instead of making biased accusations, they should go onto the ground to see the reality," Zaw Min Tun said.

Rohingyas remaining in Myanmar still face a "serious risk of genocide", UN investigators said on Monday, warning the repatriation of a million already driven from the country by the army remains "impossible".

Rohingyas remaining in Myanmar still face a "serious risk of genocide", UN investigators said on Monday, warning the repatriation of a million already driven from the country by the army remains "impossible". The fact-finding mission to Myanmar, set up by the Human Rights Council, last year branded the army operations in 2017 as "genocide" and called for the prosecution of top generals, including army chief Min Aung Hlaing. Some 740,000 Rohingya fled burning villages, bringing accounts of murder, rape and torture over the border to sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh, where survivors of previous waves of persecution already languish. But in a damning report, the UN team said the 600,000 Rohingya still inside Myanmar's Rakhine state remain in deteriorating and "deplorable" conditions. "Myanmar continues to harbour genocidal intent and the Rohingya remain under serious risk of genocide," the investigators said in their final report on Myanmar, due to be presented Tuesday in Geneva. The country is "denying wrongdoing, destroying evidence, refusing to conduct effective investigations and clearing, razing, confiscating and building on land from which it displaced Rohingya," it said. Myanmar military spokesman Zaw Min Tun rejected the team's findings, calling them "one-sided". "Instead of making biased accusations, they should go onto the ground to see the reality," Zaw Min Tun said.

600,000 Rohingyas in Myanmar still at 'serious risk of genocide': United Nations

Two more Rohingya men were shot dead by officers Friday in a southern Bangladesh border town, police said, amid a clampdown on the refugees after the killing of a ruling party official.

Police said the pair were accused of the murder of Omar Faruk, a youth wing official of the Awami League party, who was shot in the head by suspected <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-bans-two-aid-agencies-from-rohingya-refugee-camps-247755">Rohingya</a> criminals late last month.

Nearly a million Rohingya live in squalid camps in southeast Bangladesh, 740,000 of whom fled a 2017 military offensive against the Muslim minority in Myanmar.

Masud Hossain, head of police in the border district of Cox's Bazar, told AFP the two men were grievously injured during a gunfight with police near Teknaf town early Friday morning and were later declared dead in hospital.

"They are Rohingya miscreants. They were involved in robbery, abduction and drug smuggling," he said, adding they were "accused in the case" of Faruk's murder on August 22.

With the latest deaths, six Rohingya men allegedly involved in Faruk's killing have been shot dead in alleged gunfights with police, according to a count by AFP based on the statements of Cox's Bazar police.

Hossain, however, put the toll at five.

At least 36 refugees have now been killed by Bangladeshi security forces since August 2017, when Myanmar's military launched a crackdown in western Rakhine state, sparking the mass exodus.

Rights groups have previously accused Bangladesh police of extrajudicial killings of Rohingya, mainly suspects in drug smuggling, saying some of the gunfights appeared to be staged.

The latest deaths follow a second failed attempt to begin the repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar.

Bangladesh Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-pm-blames-myanmar-for-rohingya-repatriation-failure-249197">Sheikh Hasina</a> has blamed Myanmar for the failure, saying Naypyidaw did not do enough to win the community's trust.

But her government has also started to crack down on activity in the Rohingya camps .

Dhaka has imposed a virtual internet <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-halts-new-sim-card-sale-in-rohingya-camps-248751">blackout</a> by cutting access to 3G and 4G mobile<a> internet networks.</a>

Two more Rohingya men were shot dead by officers Friday in a southern Bangladesh border town, police said, amid a clampdown on the refugees after the killing of a ruling party official.

Two more Rohingya men were shot dead by officers Friday in a southern Bangladesh border town, police said, amid a clampdown on the refugees after the killing of a ruling party official. Police said the pair were accused of the murder of Omar Faruk, a youth wing official of the Awami League party, who was shot in the head by suspected Rohingya criminals late last month. Nearly a million Rohingya live in squalid camps in southeast Bangladesh, 740,000 of whom fled a 2017 military offensive against the Muslim minority in Myanmar. Masud Hossain, head of police in the border district of Cox's Bazar, told AFP the two men were grievously injured during a gunfight with police near Teknaf town early Friday morning and were later declared dead in hospital. "They are Rohingya miscreants. They were involved in robbery, abduction and drug smuggling," he said, adding they were "accused in the case" of Faruk's murder on August 22. With the latest deaths, six Rohingya men allegedly involved in Faruk's killing have been shot dead in alleged gunfights with police, according to a count by AFP based on the statements of Cox's Bazar police. Hossain, however, put the toll at five. At least 36 refugees have now been killed by Bangladeshi security forces since August 2017, when Myanmar's military launched a crackdown in western Rakhine state, sparking the mass exodus. Rights groups have previously accused Bangladesh police of extrajudicial killings of Rohingya, mainly suspects in drug smuggling, saying some of the gunfights appeared to be staged. The latest deaths follow a second failed attempt to begin the repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has blamed Myanmar for the failure, saying Naypyidaw did not do enough to win the community's trust. But her government has also started to crack down on activity in the Rohingya camps . Dhaka has imposed a virtual internet blackout by cutting access to 3G and 4G mobile internet networks.

Two more Rohingya shot dead over Bangladesh politician's murder

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-pm-hasina-accuses-myanmar-of-defying-promise-over-repatriation-of-rohingyas-225839">Bangladesh's prime minister has blamed Myanmar</a> for the failure of a recent attempt to repatriate Rohingya refugees, saying its neighbouring country did not do enough to win the community's trust.

The comments from Sheikh Hasina came three weeks after a fresh push to return the Muslim minority to Myanmar's conflict-scarred Rakhine state that fell flat when no-one turned up.

Some 740,000 Rohingya fled their villages in Rakhine following a military crackdown in August 2017, joining nearly 200,000 already living in squalid camps across the border in southeast Bangladesh.

"We've seen Myanmar could not win Rohingya's trust in creating a conducive situation (in Rakhine) for their dignified return," Hasina said in parliament late Wednesday.

"We had full preparation, but still the repatriation did not start uncertainty looms over Rohingya getting back their homes, land and other properties."

Hasina said she had asked other Asian nations including China, India, and Japan to help resolve the crisis.

Her comments reflect Dhaka's frustration over the lack of a resolution to the refugee crisis.

A previous repatriation offer was rejected by Rohingya leaders in October.

Watch: Bangladesh Feels ISI Could recruit from Rohingya Camps

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-bangladesh-feels-isi-could-recruit-from-rohingya-camps-246739/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Her government has also started to crack down on activity in the camps amid a recent outbreak of violence and rising tensions with locals.

Dhaka has imposed a virtual internet blackout in the camps in the border towns of Teknaf and Ukhia by cutting access to 3G and 4G mobile internet networks.

Expects have said 2G networks are too slow for internet use.

Rohingya leaders have repeatedly said the refugees will not return to their homeland unless their safety is ensured, their rights and citizenship are granted and they are allowed to resettle in their villages.

The Rohingya are not recognised as an official minority by the Myanmar government, which considers them Bengali interlopers despite many families having lived in the country for generations.

Bangladesh's prime minister has blamed Myanmar for the failure of a recent attempt to repatriate Rohingya refugees, saying its neighbouring country did not do enough to win the community's trust.

Bangladesh's prime minister has blamed Myanmar for the failure of a recent attempt to repatriate Rohingya refugees, saying its neighbouring country did not do enough to win the community's trust. The comments from Sheikh Hasina came three weeks after a fresh push to return the Muslim minority to Myanmar's conflict-scarred Rakhine state that fell flat when no-one turned up. Some 740,000 Rohingya fled their villages in Rakhine following a military crackdown in August 2017, joining nearly 200,000 already living in squalid camps across the border in southeast Bangladesh. "We've seen Myanmar could not win Rohingya's trust in creating a conducive situation (in Rakhine) for their dignified return," Hasina said in parliament late Wednesday. "We had full preparation, but still the repatriation did not start uncertainty looms over Rohingya getting back their homes, land and other properties." Hasina said she had asked other Asian nations including China, India, and Japan to help resolve the crisis. Her comments reflect Dhaka's frustration over the lack of a resolution to the refugee crisis. A previous repatriation offer was rejected by Rohingya leaders in October. Watch: Bangladesh Feels ISI Could recruit from Rohingya Camps Her government has also started to crack down on activity in the camps amid a recent outbreak of violence and rising tensions with locals. Dhaka has imposed a virtual internet blackout in the camps in the border towns of Teknaf and Ukhia by cutting access to 3G and 4G mobile internet networks. Expects have said 2G networks are too slow for internet use. Rohingya leaders have repeatedly said the refugees will not return to their homeland unless their safety is ensured, their rights and citizenship are granted and they are allowed to resettle in their villages. The Rohingya are not recognised as an official minority by the Myanmar government, which considers them Bengali interlopers despite many families having lived in the country for generations.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina blames Myanmar for Rohingya repatriation failure

Bangladesh mobile operators have on government orders stopped selling new SIM cards to Rohingya refugees, officials said Monday, in a further sign of Dhaka's impatience following the latest failed repatriation move.

Bangladesh has been hosting around a million Rohingya refugees in vast camps in the south-east since a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar prompted a huge exodus in August 2017.

In late August a repatriation initiative fell flat with the long-oppressed minority refugees refusing to return to Myanmar without guarantees for their safety and citizenship.

Adding to frustration in Dhaka, this was followed by a protest by some 200,000 Rohingya to mark two years since their arrival.

There has also been a spike in violence and a rise in tensions with locals, and authorities fear the internet and telephone access could contribute to further unrest.

Bangladeshi security forces have shot dead at least 34 Rohingya over the past two years, mostly for alleged methamphetamines trafficking. Rights groups accuse police of carrying out extrajudicial killings.

'Seven days'

Bangladesh's telecommunications regulator on September 3 ordered phone companies to cut off mobile access in the three dozen refugee camps, citing security grounds.

The four mobile phone operators were given seven days to submit reports on actions they have taken to shut down data connectivity and were ordered to stop selling SIM (subscriber identity module) cards in the camp areas.

"Already, SIM card sale has been stopped in the camp areas," S.M. Farhad, secretary-general of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), which represents all mobile phone operators, told AFP on Monday.

He said high speed third- and fourth-generation (3G and 4G) mobile internet connections in the region have also been suspended between 5:00 pm and 6:00 am every day.

The operators also restricted coverage to within Bangladesh following allegations that Rohingya over the border in Myanmar were using the networks, he said.

Mohammad Abul Monsur, police chief at Ukhia town where the world's largest refugee camp, Kutupalong, is located, confirmed the development, saying mobile phone retailers have been told not to sell any new SIM cards in the region.

"No new SIM cards are being sold in Ukhia," he told AFP, adding police have monitored the town the last two days.

Bangladesh has in the past tried to restrict mobile access but it was not enforced seriously, spawning booming markets of mobile phones and SIM cards in the camps.

The latest ban has stunned the refugees, with leaders saying it would hugely affect their life and security, disrupting communications between different camps and with Rohingya still in Myanmar.

Rights group Human Rights Watch on Saturday urged the government to end the communications clampdown, saying it "made matters worse."

"The authorities should take a level-headed approach instead of overreacting to tensions and protests by isolating Rohingya refugees in camps," HRW said.

Bangladesh mobile operators have on government orders stopped selling new SIM cards to Rohingya refugees, officials said Monday, in a further sign of Dhaka's impatience following the latest failed repatriation move.

Bangladesh mobile operators have on government orders stopped selling new SIM cards to Rohingya refugees, officials said Monday, in a further sign of Dhaka's impatience following the latest failed repatriation move. Bangladesh has been hosting around a million Rohingya refugees in vast camps in the south-east since a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar prompted a huge exodus in August 2017. In late August a repatriation initiative fell flat with the long-oppressed minority refugees refusing to return to Myanmar without guarantees for their safety and citizenship. Adding to frustration in Dhaka, this was followed by a protest by some 200,000 Rohingya to mark two years since their arrival. There has also been a spike in violence and a rise in tensions with locals, and authorities fear the internet and telephone access could contribute to further unrest. Bangladeshi security forces have shot dead at least 34 Rohingya over the past two years, mostly for alleged methamphetamines trafficking. Rights groups accuse police of carrying out extrajudicial killings. 'Seven days' Bangladesh's telecommunications regulator on September 3 ordered phone companies to cut off mobile access in the three dozen refugee camps, citing security grounds. The four mobile phone operators were given seven days to submit reports on actions they have taken to shut down data connectivity and were ordered to stop selling SIM (subscriber identity module) cards in the camp areas. "Already, SIM card sale has been stopped in the camp areas," S.M. Farhad, secretary-general of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), which represents all mobile phone operators, told AFP on Monday. He said high speed third- and fourth-generation (3G and 4G) mobile internet connections in the region have also been suspended between 5:00 pm and 6:00 am every day. The operators also restricted coverage to within Bangladesh following allegations that Rohingya over the border in Myanmar were using the networks, he said. Mohammad Abul Monsur, police chief at Ukhia town where the world's largest refugee camp, Kutupalong, is located, confirmed the development, saying mobile phone retailers have been told not to sell any new SIM cards in the region. "No new SIM cards are being sold in Ukhia," he told AFP, adding police have monitored the town the last two days. Bangladesh has in the past tried to restrict mobile access but it was not enforced seriously, spawning booming markets of mobile phones and SIM cards in the camps. The latest ban has stunned the refugees, with leaders saying it would hugely affect their life and security, disrupting communications between different camps and with Rohingya still in Myanmar. Rights group Human Rights Watch on Saturday urged the government to end the communications clampdown, saying it "made matters worse." "The authorities should take a level-headed approach instead of overreacting to tensions and protests by isolating Rohingya refugees in camps," HRW said.

Bangladesh halts new SIM card sale in Rohingya camps

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-bans-two-aid-agencies-from-rohingya-refugee-camps-247755">Bangladesh </a>university has suspended a student for being <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rohingyas-in-bangladesh-unhappy-over-mobile-internet-curbs-247826">Rohingya</a>, officials said Sunday, as impatience with the refugees grows following a second failed attempt to repatriate them to Myanmar.

Some 740,000 of the Muslim minority fled to camps in southeast Bangladesh after a military crackdown in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-rights-investigator-on-myanmar-lambasts-suu-kyi-247557">Myanmar's Rakhine state</a> in August 2017, joining 200,000 Rohingya already there.

Formal education in Bangladesh is forbidden for refugees.

Cox's Bazar International University said it had suspended Rahima Akter Khushi, 20, and would investigate her case after local media said she hid her Rohingya identity to enrol.

"Rohingya can't be admitted to our university, because they are refugees," the institution's head Abul Kashem said.

"Foreigners can study here, but they must follow a procedure."

He said the young woman had supplied documents showing she completed high-school studies in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong.

Khushi, who was studying law, told AFP the private university's decision had "mentally shattered" her.

"Any other girl may have killed themselves by now. But... I am trying my best to face the situation," she said.

The decision follows the latest repatriation attempt by Bangladesh and Myanmar, which failed with not a single refugee volunteering to cross the border back home.

Bangladeshi authorities have since ordered operators to shut down mobile phone services in the camps, which have seen an outbreak of violence in recent weeks, while high-speed internet has also been suspended at night.

News website Rohingya Post said Khushi was targeted after a 2018 interview with international news agency Associated Press went viral in Cox's Bazar, where the camps are.

Khushi said her parents arrived in Bangladesh from Rakhine in the 1990s and she was born and raised in Cox's Bazar.

"I wanted to go further. But I don't know how I would do it," Khushi told AFP.

Brisbane-based Rohingya leader Mojib Ullah said suspending Khushi would do "nothing but kill potential" in the community, who had limited opportunities to study in Rakhine.

A Bangladesh university has suspended a student for being Rohingya, officials said Sunday, as impatience with the refugees grows following a second failed attempt to repatriate them to Myanmar.

A Bangladesh university has suspended a student for being Rohingya, officials said Sunday, as impatience with the refugees grows following a second failed attempt to repatriate them to Myanmar. Some 740,000 of the Muslim minority fled to camps in southeast Bangladesh after a military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state in August 2017, joining 200,000 Rohingya already there. Formal education in Bangladesh is forbidden for refugees. Cox's Bazar International University said it had suspended Rahima Akter Khushi, 20, and would investigate her case after local media said she hid her Rohingya identity to enrol. "Rohingya can't be admitted to our university, because they are refugees," the institution's head Abul Kashem said. "Foreigners can study here, but they must follow a procedure." He said the young woman had supplied documents showing she completed high-school studies in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong. Khushi, who was studying law, told AFP the private university's decision had "mentally shattered" her. "Any other girl may have killed themselves by now. But... I am trying my best to face the situation," she said. The decision follows the latest repatriation attempt by Bangladesh and Myanmar, which failed with not a single refugee volunteering to cross the border back home. Bangladeshi authorities have since ordered operators to shut down mobile phone services in the camps, which have seen an outbreak of violence in recent weeks, while high-speed internet has also been suspended at night. News website Rohingya Post said Khushi was targeted after a 2018 interview with international news agency Associated Press went viral in Cox's Bazar, where the camps are. Khushi said her parents arrived in Bangladesh from Rakhine in the 1990s and she was born and raised in Cox's Bazar. "I wanted to go further. But I don't know how I would do it," Khushi told AFP. Brisbane-based Rohingya leader Mojib Ullah said suspending Khushi would do "nothing but kill potential" in the community, who had limited opportunities to study in Rakhine.

Bangladesh university suspends student for being Rohingya

The United States said on Thursday it was deeply concerned about the Myanmar army's filing of a lawsuit against a religious leader who told President Donald Trump the military oppressed Christians in the Buddhist-majority country.

The criminal complaint against Reverend Hkalam Samson "seeks to unduly limit his freedom of expression and potentially could disrupt his critical work on behalf of tens of thousands of internally displaced people," US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

She said the United States was "deeply concerned" by the lawsuit and that any decision to "arrest Reverend Samson on the basis of his protected speech would be deeply troubling."

Samson took part in a July meeting at the White House where victims of religious persecution from a number of countries met with Trump and other US officials.

Samson, of the Kachin Baptist Convention, an organization based in the northern Kachin state representing Myanmar's mostly Christian Kachin minority, said Christians were being "oppressed and tortured by the Myanmar military government."

He also thanked Trump for sanctions imposed on senior military officials, saying it was "very helpful."

The complaint filed a week ago refers to a live broadcast of the meeting with Trump, which was streamed on the Facebook page of ABC News’ World News Now. It asks for legal action but does not specify a charge.

"I think the reason the military is trying to sue me is because I told Donald Trump that I appreciated the sanctions against the Myanmar military," Samson told Reuters by phone last week.

The United States banned Myanmar military Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, three other senior commanders and their families from entering the United States in response to the massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

A military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017 drove more than 730,000 Rohingya to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to United Nations figures. UN investigators have said Myanmar’s operation included mass killings, gang rapes and arson and was executed with "genocidal intent."

Myanmar denies the charge, saying it was conducting a legitimate campaign against insurgents who attacked police posts, killing members of the security forces.

The United States said on Thursday it was deeply concerned about the Myanmar army's filing of a lawsuit against a religious leader who told President Donald Trump the military oppressed Christians in the Buddhist-majority country.

The United States said on Thursday it was deeply concerned about the Myanmar army's filing of a lawsuit against a religious leader who told President Donald Trump the military oppressed Christians in the Buddhist-majority country. The criminal complaint against Reverend Hkalam Samson "seeks to unduly limit his freedom of expression and potentially could disrupt his critical work on behalf of tens of thousands of internally displaced people," US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. She said the United States was "deeply concerned" by the lawsuit and that any decision to "arrest Reverend Samson on the basis of his protected speech would be deeply troubling." Samson took part in a July meeting at the White House where victims of religious persecution from a number of countries met with Trump and other US officials. Samson, of the Kachin Baptist Convention, an organization based in the northern Kachin state representing Myanmar's mostly Christian Kachin minority, said Christians were being "oppressed and tortured by the Myanmar military government." He also thanked Trump for sanctions imposed on senior military officials, saying it was "very helpful." The complaint filed a week ago refers to a live broadcast of the meeting with Trump, which was streamed on the Facebook page of ABC News’ World News Now. It asks for legal action but does not specify a charge. "I think the reason the military is trying to sue me is because I told Donald Trump that I appreciated the sanctions against the Myanmar military," Samson told Reuters by phone last week. The United States banned Myanmar military Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, three other senior commanders and their families from entering the United States in response to the massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. A military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017 drove more than 730,000 Rohingya to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to United Nations figures. UN investigators have said Myanmar’s operation included mass killings, gang rapes and arson and was executed with "genocidal intent." Myanmar denies the charge, saying it was conducting a legitimate campaign against insurgents who attacked police posts, killing members of the security forces.

US voices concern over Myanmar army's lawsuit against religious leader

Rohingya refugees living in camps in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-bans-two-aid-agencies-from-rohingya-refugee-camps-247755">Bangladesh on Wednesday</a>&nbsp;expressed their unhappiness at the decision to block mobile data services due to security concerns.

Bangladesh's telecom regulatory authority on Tuesday had&nbsp;ordered mobile phone operators to partially block high-speed data services to areas where Rohingya refugees are living in sprawling camps. The operators were also asked on Sunday to block mobile services and stop selling mobile SIMs to the Rohingya.

The move came following a spike in violent crime in the southern district of Cox's Bazar, where more than one million Rohingya are sheltered.

Over 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar's Rakhine state for Bangladesh after a military-led crackdown in August 2017 that the United Nations has said was perpetrated with "genocidal intent". Myanmar has denied almost all the allegations.

Tensions are running high in the camps after a youth wing leader from Bangladesh's ruling Awami League party was killed last week, allegedly by Rohingya refugees, and at least four Rohingya were shot dead by police.

Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh on Wednesday expressed their unhappiness at the decision to block mobile data services due to security concerns. Bangladesh's telecom regulatory authority on Tuesday had ordered mobile phone operators to partially block high-speed data services to areas where Rohingya refugees are living in sprawling camps.

Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh on Wednesday expressed their unhappiness at the decision to block mobile data services due to security concerns. Bangladesh's telecom regulatory authority on Tuesday had ordered mobile phone operators to partially block high-speed data services to areas where Rohingya refugees are living in sprawling camps. The operators were also asked on Sunday to block mobile services and stop selling mobile SIMs to the Rohingya. The move came following a spike in violent crime in the southern district of Cox's Bazar, where more than one million Rohingya are sheltered. Over 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar's Rakhine state for Bangladesh after a military-led crackdown in August 2017 that the United Nations has said was perpetrated with "genocidal intent". Myanmar has denied almost all the allegations. Tensions are running high in the camps after a youth wing leader from Bangladesh's ruling Awami League party was killed last week, allegedly by Rohingya refugees, and at least four Rohingya were shot dead by police.

Rohingyas in Bangladesh unhappy over mobile internet curbs

Bangladesh on Thursday said it has banned two aid agencies from Rohingya camps in the country's southeast, alleging they were telling refugees to reject repatriation to their homeland in Myanmar.

The move came amid growing impatience from Dhaka about the presence of the refugees in the country, two years after some 740,000 were driven over the border by a military crackdown on the Muslim minority.

The latest repatriation attempt by Bangladesh and Myanmar two weeks ago, the second in less than a year, failed with not a single refugee volunteering to cross the border back home.

US-based Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and local organisation Al Markaz ul Islami were accused by the government's NGO Affairs Bureau of "instigating" the stateless minority against the recent repatriation attempt.

Kamal Hossain, the government administrator of Cox's Bazar district where the refugee camps are located, said Dhaka had issued a notice for the NGOs to immediately stop their activities across the country.

"The administration is taking action accordingly to the issued order," he told AFP, adding that the NGO Affairs Bureau also ordered bank transactions by the two agencies to be halted.

More than 130 aid agencies work in the three dozen squalid camps in Cox's Bazar, where the 740,000 Rohingya fled to, joining some 200,000 others already living here.

Foreign Minister 'A K Abdul Momen' last week said Dhaka would crackdown on aid agencies if they "do something going beyond their terms and references".

The Rohingya have refused to go home until Myanmar gives them guarantees of safety and citizenship status.

Tensions have ratcheted up in the camps in recent weeks as refugees marked the two-year anniversary of the 2017 exodus.

Four refugees have also been killed in the fallout over the murder of local ruling party official Omar Faruk, which police blame on Rohingya hitmen.

Bangladesh on Thursday said it has banned two aid agencies from Rohingya camps in the country's southeast, alleging they were telling refugees to reject repatriation to their homeland in Myanmar.

Bangladesh on Thursday said it has banned two aid agencies from Rohingya camps in the country's southeast, alleging they were telling refugees to reject repatriation to their homeland in Myanmar. The move came amid growing impatience from Dhaka about the presence of the refugees in the country, two years after some 740,000 were driven over the border by a military crackdown on the Muslim minority. The latest repatriation attempt by Bangladesh and Myanmar two weeks ago, the second in less than a year, failed with not a single refugee volunteering to cross the border back home. US-based Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and local organisation Al Markaz ul Islami were accused by the government's NGO Affairs Bureau of "instigating" the stateless minority against the recent repatriation attempt. Kamal Hossain, the government administrator of Cox's Bazar district where the refugee camps are located, said Dhaka had issued a notice for the NGOs to immediately stop their activities across the country. "The administration is taking action accordingly to the issued order," he told AFP, adding that the NGO Affairs Bureau also ordered bank transactions by the two agencies to be halted. More than 130 aid agencies work in the three dozen squalid camps in Cox's Bazar, where the 740,000 Rohingya fled to, joining some 200,000 others already living here. Foreign Minister 'A K Abdul Momen' last week said Dhaka would crackdown on aid agencies if they "do something going beyond their terms and references". The Rohingya have refused to go home until Myanmar gives them guarantees of safety and citizenship status. Tensions have ratcheted up in the camps in recent weeks as refugees marked the two-year anniversary of the 2017 exodus. Four refugees have also been killed in the fallout over the murder of local ruling party official Omar Faruk, which police blame on Rohingya hitmen.

Bangladesh bans two aid agencies from Rohingya refugee camps

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has washed her hands of the Rohingya crisis, a UN rights investigator said Tuesday ahead of a meeting between South Korea's President Moon Jae-in and the tarnished democracy icon.

Yanghee Lee, a university professor in Seoul who is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights to Myanmar, said Suu Kyi was "terribly misguided and misinformed" about the abuses against the stateless Muslim minority in her country.

The Nobel laureate was under house arrest for years when Myanmar was a military dictatorship before her party won elections in 2015 by a landslide, in the first fully free vote for generations.

Hopes were high that she would usher in a new era of freedom, but more than 740,000 Rohingya have since been driven out of the Buddhist-majority country and into Bangladesh in a 2017 army crackdown.

The US in July banned Myanmar's army chief Min Aung Hlaing and other officers for their role in the campaign of "ethnic cleansing".

Suu Kyi was spared from the sanctions but no longer deserved to be called a democracy activist, Lee told AFP.

"She should step up and really speak out for the treatment that the Rohingya had suffered for decades," she told AFP.

"It's time for her to speak out and use the word, call them the way they identify themselves as the Rohingya."&nbsp;

Myanmar calls the persecuted minority "Bengali", treating them as illegal interlopers from Bangladesh and refusing to grant them citizenship or basic rights.

Lee -- who has been banned from entering Myanmar over her criticism of its government -- was speaking as South Korea's Moon, a former democracy activist himself was due to meet Suu Kyi later Tuesday as part of a tour of Southeast Asia.

South Korea is the sixth-largest foreign investor in Myanmar, but Lee said that meant Seoul was "inadvertently contributing" to rights violations against Rohingya and urged Moon to be "principled" during the encounter.

"Our president enjoys a great history of being a human rights lawyer," said Lee. "But I'm afraid he hasn't been really speaking out for human rights for people.

"I think it's a shame that we are joining the bandwagon of other countries that looks out for... their countries' economic interest before the suffering of the people," she said, describing the Rohingya crisis as the "worst case of ethnic genocide in the 21st century".

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has washed her hands of the Rohingya crisis, a UN rights investigator said Tuesday ahead of a meeting between South Korea's President Moon Jae-in and the tarnished democracy icon.

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has washed her hands of the Rohingya crisis, a UN rights investigator said Tuesday ahead of a meeting between South Korea's President Moon Jae-in and the tarnished democracy icon. Yanghee Lee, a university professor in Seoul who is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights to Myanmar, said Suu Kyi was "terribly misguided and misinformed" about the abuses against the stateless Muslim minority in her country. The Nobel laureate was under house arrest for years when Myanmar was a military dictatorship before her party won elections in 2015 by a landslide, in the first fully free vote for generations. Hopes were high that she would usher in a new era of freedom, but more than 740,000 Rohingya have since been driven out of the Buddhist-majority country and into Bangladesh in a 2017 army crackdown. The US in July banned Myanmar's army chief Min Aung Hlaing and other officers for their role in the campaign of "ethnic cleansing". Suu Kyi was spared from the sanctions but no longer deserved to be called a democracy activist, Lee told AFP. "She should step up and really speak out for the treatment that the Rohingya had suffered for decades," she told AFP. "It's time for her to speak out and use the word, call them the way they identify themselves as the Rohingya." Myanmar calls the persecuted minority "Bengali", treating them as illegal interlopers from Bangladesh and refusing to grant them citizenship or basic rights. Lee -- who has been banned from entering Myanmar over her criticism of its government -- was speaking as South Korea's Moon, a former democracy activist himself was due to meet Suu Kyi later Tuesday as part of a tour of Southeast Asia. South Korea is the sixth-largest foreign investor in Myanmar, but Lee said that meant Seoul was "inadvertently contributing" to rights violations against Rohingya and urged Moon to be "principled" during the encounter. "Our president enjoys a great history of being a human rights lawyer," said Lee. "But I'm afraid he hasn't been really speaking out for human rights for people. "I think it's a shame that we are joining the bandwagon of other countries that looks out for... their countries' economic interest before the suffering of the people," she said, describing the Rohingya crisis as the "worst case of ethnic genocide in the 21st century".

UN rights investigator on Myanmar lambasts Suu Kyi

UN rights experts voiced alarm Tuesday at the Myanmar military's incommunicado detention of Rakhine men and boys, as well as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/two-years-on-rohingyas-still-without-rights-status-or-justice-244567">allegations of torture and deaths</a> in custody.

They voiced grave concern at reports that numerous ethnic Rakhine men and boys had recently been taken into custody and held incommunicado for weeks at a time over terrorism allegations, with many reporting they were tortured while detained.

"The practice of incommunicado detention must be immediately brought to an end," the three experts, who are independent and do not speak for the world body, said in a statement.&nbsp;

"There must be a credible independent investigation into the allegations of torture and inhuman treatment, deaths in custody, and reliance on forced confessions in cases involving Arakan army-related allegations," they said.

"All perpetrators of such violations must be held accountable."

The conflict-scarred Rakhine state, the site of a deadly crackdown that in 2017 drove some 740,000 minority Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh, has in recent months seen fierce battles between the military and the Arakan Army, a rebel group claiming to fight for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists.&nbsp;

The UN experts pointed to the case of Naing Aung Htun, who was rounded up with others in Kyaukyan village in Buthidaung on August 8, and who was held incommunicado until August 21.

He was allegedly given electric shocks by soldiers until he confessed to having ties to the Arakan army.

His father, who was finally permitted to visit him on August 22, reported he had sustained injuries to his face and complained of pain in his back, chest and head.

"We are distressed by the use of incommunicado detention where individuals are suspected of being associates of the Arakan army," said the experts including Yanghee Lee, a specialist on human rights in Myanmar.

"It is essential for detained people to be able to communicate with the outside world, especially with family members and their lawyer," they said, stressing that the practice "may facilitate torture".

They said they were particularly concerned about cases of incommunicado detention in light of reports "regarding at least 15 deaths in custody of men alleged to be associates of the Arakan army."

The signatories also included Agnes Callamard, an expert on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions, and Nils Melzer, experts on torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

They called on the military to make the results of its ongoing investigation into those deaths public and to hold the perpetrators accountable.&nbsp;

They also urged a probe into an allegation that Naing Aung Htun was tortured, and said he should receive a fair trial, stressing that any confession made as a result of torture should be excluded from evidence against him.

 
&nbsp;

UN rights experts voiced alarm Tuesday at the Myanmar military's incommunicado detention of Rakhine men and boys, as well as allegations of torture and deaths in custody.

UN rights experts voiced alarm Tuesday at the Myanmar military's incommunicado detention of Rakhine men and boys, as well as allegations of torture and deaths in custody. They voiced grave concern at reports that numerous ethnic Rakhine men and boys had recently been taken into custody and held incommunicado for weeks at a time over terrorism allegations, with many reporting they were tortured while detained. "The practice of incommunicado detention must be immediately brought to an end," the three experts, who are independent and do not speak for the world body, said in a statement. "There must be a credible independent investigation into the allegations of torture and inhuman treatment, deaths in custody, and reliance on forced confessions in cases involving Arakan army-related allegations," they said. "All perpetrators of such violations must be held accountable." The conflict-scarred Rakhine state, the site of a deadly crackdown that in 2017 drove some 740,000 minority Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh, has in recent months seen fierce battles between the military and the Arakan Army, a rebel group claiming to fight for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists. The UN experts pointed to the case of Naing Aung Htun, who was rounded up with others in Kyaukyan village in Buthidaung on August 8, and who was held incommunicado until August 21. He was allegedly given electric shocks by soldiers until he confessed to having ties to the Arakan army. His father, who was finally permitted to visit him on August 22, reported he had sustained injuries to his face and complained of pain in his back, chest and head. "We are distressed by the use of incommunicado detention where individuals are suspected of being associates of the Arakan army," said the experts including Yanghee Lee, a specialist on human rights in Myanmar. "It is essential for detained people to be able to communicate with the outside world, especially with family members and their lawyer," they said, stressing that the practice "may facilitate torture". They said they were particularly concerned about cases of incommunicado detention in light of reports "regarding at least 15 deaths in custody of men alleged to be associates of the Arakan army." The signatories also included Agnes Callamard, an expert on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions, and Nils Melzer, experts on torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. They called on the military to make the results of its ongoing investigation into those deaths public and to hold the perpetrators accountable. They also urged a probe into an allegation that Naing Aung Htun was tortured, and said he should receive a fair trial, stressing that any confession made as a result of torture should be excluded from evidence against him.

UN experts decry incommunicado detentions, alleged torture in Myanmar

Bangladesh on Monday ordered operators to shut down mobile phone services to almost one million <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fourth-rohingya-refugee-shot-dead-over-bangladesh-murder-247016">Rohingya refugees</a> living in camps in the country's southeast, an official said.

The move follows an outbreak of violence in recent weeks at the camps, most of whose residents fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine state two years ago following a military crackdown on the Muslim Rohingya minority.

It also comes after none of the refugees turned up in late August to return across the border to conflict-scarred Rakhine, when a fresh push to repatriate the refugees to Myanmar fell flat.

Telecommunications operators have seven days to submit reports on the actions they have taken to shut down networks in the camps, said the spokesman for the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), Zakir Hossain Khan.

"Many refugees are using mobile phones in the camps. We've asked the operators to take action to stop it," he told AFP, saying the decision was made on "security grounds".

The order stunned the Rohingya, one of their leaders said on condition of anonymity.

He said the ban would hugely affect Rohingya life, disrupting communications between different camps scattered across the border district of Cox's Bazar.

"We won't be able to communicate with our relatives living in Myanmar or other parts of the world," the leader said. Many Rohingya, he said, rely on remittances sent by their diaspora and usually receive phone calls informing them of the money transfers.

Bangladesh has in the past tried to restrict mobile phone access in the settlements. But the move was not enforced seriously, spawning booming markets of mobile phone sets and SIM cards in the camps.

Police spokesman Ikbal Hossain welcomed the decision, saying the refugees had been "abusing" mobile phone access to conduct criminal activities such as trafficking of methamphetamine pills worth hundreds of millions of dollars from Myanmar.

"It will definitely make a positive impact. I believe criminal activities will surely come down," he told AFP.

On Sunday police said a fourth Rohingya refugee was shot dead in the fallout over the murder of local ruling party official Omar Faruk by suspected Rohingya criminals.

Faruk's murder led hundreds of furious locals to block a highway leading to a refugee camp for hours on August 22, burning tyres and vandalising shops visited by refugees.

Rohingya refugees have said the recent bloodshed has created an atmosphere of fear in the camp, where security has been tightened.

Rights groups have previously accused Bangladesh police of extrajudicial killings.&nbsp;

'Isolate and victimise'&nbsp;

Local police said nearly 600 cases of drug trafficking, murders, robberies, gang fighting and family feuds were filed against the refugees since they arrived.

Bangladeshi security forces have shot dead a total of at least 34 Rohingya over the past two years, mostly for alleged methamphetamines trafficking.

There was no immediate reaction to the phone service shutdown from United Nations agencies, but a UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it "would further isolate and victimise the already persecuted people".&nbsp;

"Seeking to limit their communication amongst themselves, with Bangladeshis and people abroad, will serve to push them towards negative coping habits be it crime, violence or extremism," he added.

The two countries signed a repatriation agreement in November 2017 but a first offer to return was rejected by refugee camp leaders in October.

UN investigators have said the 2017 violence in Myanmar warrants the prosecution of top Myanmar generals for "genocide".

Bangladesh last week accused Buddhist-majority Myanmar of lacking the "will" to repatriate the Rohingya, after the latest failed attempt to return the stateless minority.

The Rohingya are not recognised as an official minority by the Myanmar government, which considers them Bengali interlopers despite many families having lived in the country for generations.

Bangladesh on Monday ordered operators to shut down mobile phone services to almost one million Rohingya refugees living in camps in the country's southeast, an official said.

Bangladesh on Monday ordered operators to shut down mobile phone services to almost one million Rohingya refugees living in camps in the country's southeast, an official said. The move follows an outbreak of violence in recent weeks at the camps, most of whose residents fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine state two years ago following a military crackdown on the Muslim Rohingya minority. It also comes after none of the refugees turned up in late August to return across the border to conflict-scarred Rakhine, when a fresh push to repatriate the refugees to Myanmar fell flat. Telecommunications operators have seven days to submit reports on the actions they have taken to shut down networks in the camps, said the spokesman for the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), Zakir Hossain Khan. "Many refugees are using mobile phones in the camps. We've asked the operators to take action to stop it," he told AFP, saying the decision was made on "security grounds". The order stunned the Rohingya, one of their leaders said on condition of anonymity. He said the ban would hugely affect Rohingya life, disrupting communications between different camps scattered across the border district of Cox's Bazar. "We won't be able to communicate with our relatives living in Myanmar or other parts of the world," the leader said. Many Rohingya, he said, rely on remittances sent by their diaspora and usually receive phone calls informing them of the money transfers. Bangladesh has in the past tried to restrict mobile phone access in the settlements. But the move was not enforced seriously, spawning booming markets of mobile phone sets and SIM cards in the camps. Police spokesman Ikbal Hossain welcomed the decision, saying the refugees had been "abusing" mobile phone access to conduct criminal activities such as trafficking of methamphetamine pills worth hundreds of millions of dollars from Myanmar. "It will definitely make a positive impact. I believe criminal activities will surely come down," he told AFP. On Sunday police said a fourth Rohingya refugee was shot dead in the fallout over the murder of local ruling party official Omar Faruk by suspected Rohingya criminals. Faruk's murder led hundreds of furious locals to block a highway leading to a refugee camp for hours on August 22, burning tyres and vandalising shops visited by refugees. Rohingya refugees have said the recent bloodshed has created an atmosphere of fear in the camp, where security has been tightened. Rights groups have previously accused Bangladesh police of extrajudicial killings. 'Isolate and victimise' Local police said nearly 600 cases of drug trafficking, murders, robberies, gang fighting and family feuds were filed against the refugees since they arrived. Bangladeshi security forces have shot dead a total of at least 34 Rohingya over the past two years, mostly for alleged methamphetamines trafficking. There was no immediate reaction to the phone service shutdown from United Nations agencies, but a UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it "would further isolate and victimise the already persecuted people". "Seeking to limit their communication amongst themselves, with Bangladeshis and people abroad, will serve to push them towards negative coping habits be it crime, violence or extremism," he added. The two countries signed a repatriation agreement in November 2017 but a first offer to return was rejected by refugee camp leaders in October. UN investigators have said the 2017 violence in Myanmar warrants the prosecution of top Myanmar generals for "genocide". Bangladesh last week accused Buddhist-majority Myanmar of lacking the "will" to repatriate the Rohingya, after the latest failed attempt to return the stateless minority. The Rohingya are not recognised as an official minority by the Myanmar government, which considers them Bengali interlopers despite many families having lived in the country for generations.

Bangladesh bans mobile phone access in Rohingya camps

Gravitas: The Debate over Rohingyas in India

Myanmar's army will court-martial soldiers after a new finding in an inquiry into atrocities in Rakhine state, from which more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims fled a 2017 army-led campaign the United Nations says was executed with "genocidal intent".

On Saturday, the website of Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing said a military court that visited the northern state found soldiers had shown "weakness in following instructions in some incidents" at a village said to have been a Rohingya massacre site.

In 2018, the Associated Press news agency reported the existence of at least five graves of Rohingya in the village, Gutarpyin, in the township of Buthidaung.

But government officials at the time said 19 "terrorists" had died and their bodies were "carefully buried".

On Sunday, military spokesman Tun Tun Nyi told Reuters the investigation's findings were secret.

"We don’t have the right to know about it," he said by telephone. "They will release another statement about it when the procedure is finished."

The court, comprising a major-general and two colonels, was formed in March to respond to accusations of mass killings, rape and arson by the security forces made by the United Nations and rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

It visited Rakhine twice in July and August.

Myanmar forces had launched their offensive in Rakhine in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts near the Bangladesh border.

Last year a UN fact-finding mission said the military campaign was orchestrated with "genocidal intent", and recommended charging Min Aung Hlaing and five other generals with the "gravest crimes under international law".

Myanmar has denied the accusations, although Min Aung Hlaing said last month a number of security men may have been involved.

A previous military investigation in 2017 exonerated the security forces of any crimes.

Myanmar is facing growing international calls for accountability over the Rakhine campaign.

The International Criminal Court has opened a preliminary examination into the violence, while a panel formed by Myanmar that includes Philippine diplomat Rosario Manalo and Japan's former UN envoy, Kenzo Oshima, is due to publish its findings.

Myanmar's army will court-martial soldiers after a new finding in an inquiry into atrocities in Rakhine state, from which more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims fled a 2017 army-led campaign the United Nations says was executed with "genocidal intent".

Myanmar's army will court-martial soldiers after a new finding in an inquiry into atrocities in Rakhine state, from which more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims fled a 2017 army-led campaign the United Nations says was executed with "genocidal intent". On Saturday, the website of Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing said a military court that visited the northern state found soldiers had shown "weakness in following instructions in some incidents" at a village said to have been a Rohingya massacre site. In 2018, the Associated Press news agency reported the existence of at least five graves of Rohingya in the village, Gutarpyin, in the township of Buthidaung. But government officials at the time said 19 "terrorists" had died and their bodies were "carefully buried". On Sunday, military spokesman Tun Tun Nyi told Reuters the investigation's findings were secret. "We don’t have the right to know about it," he said by telephone. "They will release another statement about it when the procedure is finished." The court, comprising a major-general and two colonels, was formed in March to respond to accusations of mass killings, rape and arson by the security forces made by the United Nations and rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. It visited Rakhine twice in July and August. Myanmar forces had launched their offensive in Rakhine in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts near the Bangladesh border. Last year a UN fact-finding mission said the military campaign was orchestrated with "genocidal intent", and recommended charging Min Aung Hlaing and five other generals with the "gravest crimes under international law". Myanmar has denied the accusations, although Min Aung Hlaing said last month a number of security men may have been involved. A previous military investigation in 2017 exonerated the security forces of any crimes. Myanmar is facing growing international calls for accountability over the Rakhine campaign. The International Criminal Court has opened a preliminary examination into the violence, while a panel formed by Myanmar that includes Philippine diplomat Rosario Manalo and Japan's former UN envoy, Kenzo Oshima, is due to publish its findings.

Myanmar army says to punish soldiers in Rohingya atrocities probe

Analysing The Politics Of Immigration In India

WION Edit: Time to Depoliticise Immigration

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