COX'S BAZAR, Mar 5: Some 6,022 Rohingya refugees of Tumbru no-man's-land are willing to stay at their present makeshift camps until a normal situation is created in Rakhaine state of Myanmar.
They are reluctant to go to the refugee camps at Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas here.
Sheltered Rohingyas of Tumbru no-man's-land area near Bangladesh-Myanmar border expressed their desires as a group of journalists visited the zero line recently. All of them wanted to stay at the zero line.
According to BGB and Naikkongchhori upazila administration sources, at least 6,022 Rohingyas of 1,321 families were staying in makeshift kutcha houses of Tumbru no-man's-land since August 27 last year. They want to go back to their own homes, but Myanmar army was not giving them the opportunity, alleged the refugees.
While talking to the sheltered Rohingyas, their leader Dil Mohammad (52) and Ariful Islam (49) told the journalists that "the Myanmar army wants to push and kick us into Bangladesh land forcibly by firing and deploying huge soldiers and BGP men near the zero line. They are continuously threatening us to leave the zero line," said one of the leaders.
The Rohingyas of zero line area hailed from Tumbru, Medi, Raimkhali, Sampala, Panir Chara, Dhekibunia, Boli Bazar and Shahab Bazar villages under Rakhaine state.
"The Myanmar army constructed police and army barracks in our lands after setting fire on all the dwelling houses," Arif said.
Rahima Begum (45), a Rohingya woman, said: "We're living here with sons and daughters happily, but we always remain panicked because the army may attack us anytime."
Another refugee Sultan Ahmed (40) said that the Red Crescent Society was providing them with sufficient relief materials like food after an interval of 15 days.
According to Naikkongchhori upazila administration sources, each of the Rohingya families of Tumbru zero line area were getting 25 kgs of rice, 4 kgs of edible oil, 4 kgs of sugar, 1 kg of salt and other relief materials from upazila administration every two weeks.
On the other hand, Bangladeshi people living near the no-man's-land were passing days amid fears that the border situation might deteriorate. Primary schools remain close if Myanmar army create abnormal situations in the border, locals said.
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