Thousands more Rohingya flee to Bangladesh as clashes rage in Myanmar

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – About 10,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh in the last two weeks, as conflicts in Myanmar between the ruling military junta and rebel groups continue, a Bangladeshi official told Anadolu on Sunday.

About 1.2 million Rohingya have already been in Bangladesh since August 2017, fleeing a severe military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state. The majority of them live in overcrowded camps in Cox's Bazar, with approximately 35,000 having been relocated to Bhasan Char Isle since late 2020.

“It is tough to figure out the exact number as every day several hundreds of Rohingya cross the border. Some 400 Rohingya crossed into Bangladesh on Saturday midnight escaping border security,” Md. Adnan Chowdhury, chief government official of the southeastern Teknaf town, told Anadolu.

“Heavy conflicts are suspected while sound of firing and mortar shells are being heard for the last three days in the border town. We are in a fearful situation in areas along the border in Teknaf,” the official said.

Up to 70 bodies with bullet injuries marks were also found along the river and sea border with Myanmar in the last one month, Chowdhary said.

“We buried the bodies with support from locals,” said Chowdhury, adding that he suspected the people got killed during conflicts inside Myanmar and their bodies floated into Bangladesh through the maritime boundary, including Naf River and the Bay of Bengal.

Meanwhile, some 40,000 Rohingya have gathered along Teknaf border and are awaiting to cross Bangladesh, local newspaper Samakal reported on Sunday.

Chowdhury said patrolling along the Naf River and the border has been stepped up to prevent further infiltration.