They come knowing they will find shelter
Leda is under Hnila union in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar. Just half a km off the River Naf, which marks the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar, the village is home to a Rohingya slum.
Locally called “Rohingya taal”, the slum is known to the administration as an unregistered Rohingya camp. More than 25 thousands live here, undocumented. They are staying in this country illegally.
None from the administration or law enforcement agency monitor this settlement, just 100 feet away from the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf highway, though Rohingyas have been living here illegally since 2008.
Over the last one week, more Rohingyas have taken shelter in this slum. Their number would not be less than a few hundred.
After getting here, some are going to another unregistered camp, a slum near the official Rohingya refugee shelter in Kutupalong of Ukhia. Some are going to Cox's Bazar town or Chittagong by road.
A group of Bangladeshi people are helping Rohingyas to enter the country illegally and get shelter. Such middlemen are active on the other side of the border as well.
The racket helps these Myanmarese minorities to cross the border through Leda, Zadimura, Rangikhali, Nayapara, Maulvibazar, Shah Porir Dwip, Khangrakhali, Jhimangkhali, Kanjarpara, Lambabil, Ulubunia, Tulatali and Anzumanpara.
At 10:00am yesterday, some 50 such Rohingyas were seen resting under a mango tree near the Kutupalong registered camp. They crossed the border earlier in the morning.
Talking to them, it was known that they paid a handsome amount to brokers for entering Bangladesh -- Tk 30,000 on the Myanmar side and Tk 2,000 each in Bangladesh.
Taiyaba Begum, 25, wife of Md Salim of Khiaripara village of Maungdaw in Myanmar, said she along with her three minor children reached Kutupalong by bus from Nayapara of Teknaf.
She came to live in the Kutupalong slum.
Md Islam, who too is from Khiaripara village, came to Kutupalong along with nine members of his family yesterday morning.
Locals said a few hundred new Rohingyas have taken shelter at the Kutupalong slum in the last two days.
Contacted, Bakhtiar Ahmed, councillor of ward 9 of Kutupalong union, said at least 150 Rohingya families are staying at the illegal camp. He had informed the matter to the administration.
Yesterday, checking local buses, the BGB at Hoyaikong BOP checkpoint in Teknaf held 30 Rohingya people, including women and children.
They were coming to Ukhia from Teknaf. All these Rohingya people have crossed the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in the last few days.
Abu Siddique, a Myanmar citizen and also chairman of management committee of Kutupalong Rohingya slum, said the committee has arranged shelters for around one thousand Rohingyas people in coordination with their relatives living in Bangladesh.
He also said three Rohingyas were injured in a bus accident while coming to Kutupalong from Leda Rohingya slum. They were admitted to MSF Hospital.
Meanwhile, police arrested a Rohingya named Idris Mia, who was admitted at the Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital with “some injuries”, sources said.
Idris, from Bhuchidong village of Sittwe (Akyab) in Myanmar's Rakhine state, got admitted to the Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital six days ago. The hospital authorities released him on Sunday and police arrested him immediately.
Idris told journalists that he came to Bangladesh along with around 500 people of his village, divided in small groups.
He crossed border through Thumbru point at Naikhyangchhari upazila of Bandarban. Then he came to the Kutupalong.
From there, he went to the Cox's Bazar hospital and got admitted with the help of a person called Maulavi Yasin. He said he did not know the whereabouts of others who came with him.
HK Anwar, chairman of Hnila Union Parishad and also a member of advisory board of Cox's Bazar Awami League, said the Rohingya trespassing has increased a lot. They are entering the country every night, he said.
At present, 31,759 registered Rohingya refugees are staying in Kutupalong camp in Ukhia and Nayapara camp in Teknaf.
But sources citing a government census held from February 1 to 23 say that about three lakh other Rohingyas are living illegally in the district.
It is being widely reported that Rohingyas, often dubbed one of the most persecuted minority groups in the world, are trying to escape the military crackdown after a recent escalation of violence in Rakhine state of Myanmar.
Though Bangladesh officials say patrolling has been increased, Rohingyas have been sneaking in after crossing the Naf river at night.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Coast Guard pushed back 86 Rohingyas from Hnila and Sabrang points on November 15, and some 85 others from different border points in Ukhia and Teknaf on Thursday and Friday.
And on Friday night, 125 Rohingyas were sent back from No 5 Sluice Gate area in Sabrang early Saturday.
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