Published on 01:15 PM, September 20, 2017

Rohingya crisis: Civil society urges int’l intervention

Civil society leaders today called upon the international community to intervene immediately and stop the persecution on Rohingyas in Myanmar.

Reading out a written statement, they also called upon the international community to pressure Myanmar to take back its citizens from Bangladesh.

The authorities concerned must take proper steps to ensure proper aid to the Rohingya refugees, said rights activist Sultana Kamal, reading out the statement.

They also called for trail of the Myanmar military personals involved in the persecution they termed was tantamount to the genocide by Pakistani troops on Bangladesh.

By the account of UN, about 415,000 Rohingyas have fled into Bangladesh and taken shelter in Cox's Bazar to escape persecution in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.

Bangladesh has welcomed the refugees, but has urged Myanmar repeatedly to take back its citizens. It has requested that the international community pressures Myanmar to this end.

Burma's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has broken her public silence, but said she did not know why the Rohingyas were fleeing to the neighbouring country.