About 140 weak and hungry Rohingya Muslims, mostly women and children, were on a wooden boat anchored about 1 mile (0.60 kilometers) off the coast of Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh on Tuesday, officials said, and local residents refused to allow them onto land. The blue-painted boat has been floating off the coast since Friday. Three Rohingya died during the nearly two-week-long trip from Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh to the waters off Labuhan Haji in South Aceh district, local police said. Five shot in clash at Ukhiya Rohingya Camp Authorities have transferred 11 Rohingya to a government hospital since Sunday after their health worsened. “Our community, the fishing community, refuses to let them land because of what happened in other places. They have caused unrest to local residents,” said Muhammad Jabal, the chief of the fishing community in South Aceh. A large banner hanging at the seaport read: “The people of South Aceh Regency reject the arrival of Rohingya refugees in the South Aceh Regency area." The group left Cox’s Bazar on Oct. 9, according to an Aceh police report, and intended to reach Malaysia. Some passengers on the boat had reportedly paid to be transported to other countries. Local residents have given the group food, Jabal said, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has also provided them food. There were 216 people on board when the boat departed Bangladesh and 50 of them reportedly disembarked in Indonesia’s Riau province, according to police. Aceh police have arrested three suspects for alleged people smuggling. About 1 million of the predominately Muslim Rohingya live in Bangladesh as refugees from Myanmar. They include about 740,000 who fled a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in 2017 by Myanmar’s security forces, who were accused of committing mass rapes and killings. The Rohingya minority in Myanmar faces widespread discrimination. Most are denied citizenship. Indonesia, like Thailand and Malaysia, is not a signatory to the United Nations’ 1951 Refugee Convention and is not obligated to accept them. However, the country generally provides temporary shelter to refugees in distress. In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from atop the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Aceh. Another 67 passengers, including at least 28 children, had been killed when the boat capsized, according to the UNHCR. AP reported that the captain and crew had tortured women and girls before the the boat capsized.

Foreign assistance for the Rohingya community taking shelter in Cox’s Bazar has dwindled and Bangladesh is struggling to sustain its programmes for them as the Rohingya crisis has dragged on and the attention of the international community shifted elsewhere. Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) disclosed the information at a roundtable discussion held at a hotel in the capital on Sunday. Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled "Integrated Approach to Eye Care Services in Humanitarian Settings: Lessons and Best Practices," organised by Orbis International and The Financial Express, he said looking after the Rohingya community is not the responsibility of Bangladesh alone. “We’ve shouldered the responsibility of the international community, including the United Nations. We’re working on behalf of them. Now they are forgetting us,” Orbis International quoted him as saying. Mizanur said health facilities in Rohingya camps has decreased from 160 to 120 now and components in the facilities also cut significantly due to fund shortage. Dhaka voices “deep concern” over recent influx of 40,000 Rohingyas He said the international agencies now working for the Rohingya community are also experiencing fund constraints. Professor Dr AHM Enayet Hussain, President of the Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh (OSB) and Country Chair of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Bangladesh Chapter, while chairing the event said eye care is no more a health issue, it is now a development issue. He said with better eye care, one can perform better for society. Prof Enayet highlighted the lack of coordination among different agencies for prioritizing eye care in the government health facilities. Prof Khair Ahmed Choudhury, Director of the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIO&H), disclosed at the discussion that Bangladesh is bringing cornea from Nepal for the victims of the July movement. He said the corneas for two patients were supposed to reach Dhaka by Sunday (October 20) afternoon on a Biman Bangladesh flight. Khair Ahmed said many people suffered eye issues due to gunshots and other injuries during the movement. Dhaka seeks Beijing's more active role to resolve Rohingya crisis Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Md Shamsud Douza urged actions for health literacy, including eye care, so that people understand their health problems and seek treatment. He stressed the need of cornea donation to restore eyesight of many and said awareness can encourage people to donate corneas. Representatives from Orbis’s partners in Rohingya response program, local and international non-government organizations working for the Rohingya community and relevant government bodies participated in the event. The participants discussed the challenges and opportunities in eye health and the ways to overcome the challenges and tap the opportunities, made different suggestions that may help make Rohingya-related programs integrated and comprehensive. The Fred Hollows Foundation Country Manager Musabbir Alam, Cox’s Bazar Baitush Sharaf Hospital (CBBSH) Manager Shahid Uddin Mahmood, Alliance for Cooperation and Legal Aid Bangladesh (ACLAB) official Moniruzzman, journalists Nurul Islam Hasib and Sarwar Azam Manik , among others, also spoke at the roundtable.

Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia will hold the second political consultations in Riyadh on July 1 which is likely to highlight issues related to trade, investment, Bangladeshi migrants, Rohingya crisis and other issues of mutual interests, officials said on Sunday (June 30, 2024). Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud will lead the Bangladesh and Saudi delegations respectively at the high-level meeting that will be held at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Issues related to education, health, environment and climate change, ICT and tourism are also likely to be discussed in the meeting. FM Hasan is scheduled to reach Riyadh early Monday on a two-day official visit, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told UNB. The foreign minister is scheduled to return home on July 3. Private Industry and Investment Adviser to the Prime Minister Sheikh Salman F Rahman will be part of the delegation as investment issues may come up in a big way. Additional Foreign Secretary (bilateral East and West)  Md Nazrul Islam, Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammad Javed Patwary, Director General of West Asia Wing Shafiqur Rahman and Director Nafisa Monsur will accompany the foreign minister as part of Bangladesh delegation members. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who is also the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is likely to pay an official visit to Bangladesh later this year. This would be a landmark event in the history of bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia leading to the consolidation of ties, especially in trade and commerce, investment and economic cooperation, according to official on both sides. The Saudi crown prince has accepted the invitation extended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to visit the country this year, and both sides may discuss the issue further for finalization of details, a Bangladesh official told UNB speaking on condition of anonymity. PM’s upcoming China visit a reflection of maintaining balanced diplomacy: Foreign Minister It would be the first ever visit of any Saudi crown prince to Bangladesh after 1985 when the then Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz visited Dhaka. A good number of bilateral instruments -- MoUs and agreements – are likely to be signed during the visit of the Saudi leader, which would strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries significantly, both sides hope. The first ever political consultations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia were held on March 16, 2022 in Dhaka. At the meeting, both the leaders reaffirmed the bond of enduring ties and friendship existing between the two brotherly countries and expressed satisfaction over the state of bilateral cooperation. They noted the understanding and goodwill existing at the political level between the two countries and emphasised the need for devising means and ways to translate this into concrete outcomes. Both sides further stressed the need to coordinate and work together at functional levels to carry forward the policy decision for mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries.  Several Saudi companies have already invested in some sectors in Bangladesh and some other companies are considering greater engagement in various areas. Bangladeshi immigration emerges as UK election issue after Labour leader’s comments spark outrage The envoy said about 2.8 million Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia are also making significant contributions to Saudi and Bangladesh economies. In May this year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) wanted to know the progress of efforts in renewing the passports of the Rohingyas who went to the KSA back in 1973-74 with Bangladeshi passports. Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Dr Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Daoud discussed the issue with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan during a bilateral meeting at that time. Read more: Saudi Crown Prince exchanges greetings with Hasan Mahmud

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has written back to US President Joe Biden. Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud handed over a copy of the letter to Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for South Asia, US National Security Council (NSC), Eileen Laubacher on Sunday. It is a response to the letter sent by the US President to the Bangladesh Prime Minister. Bangladesh Ambassador to USA, Muhammad Imran, will hand over the original copy of the letter to White House. The Foreign Minister has said that they want a new chapter of relations with Bangladesh. “We want to begin a new chapter of relations with them,” he said, adding that the nations will benefit through strengthening the relations. Eileen Laubacher led an inter-agency US delegation during her meeting with Foreign Minister Hasan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday. Read:  PM's daughter Putul thanks Joe Biden for 'warm hospitality'   The USAID’s Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Asia Michael Schiffer, the US Department of States Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) Afreen Akhter, and CDA of the US Embassy in Dhaka Helen LaFave were present at the meeting. Besides, Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Muhammad Imran and Director General of Foreign Ministry’s North America Wing Khandker Masudul Alam and other officials from the ministry were present. The discussions centred around exploring new avenues to deepening the existing relationship. Economic cooperation, trade and investment, Rohingya humanitarian response, climate change, and energy were in focus during the meeting. The Foreign Minister reiterated Bangladesh’s steadfast position in favour of peace and against any form of war. He asked for US to use its leverage to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Read: PM Hasina greets new US President Joe Biden Hasan also hoped for the Russia-Ukraine war to end. The extradition of Bangabandhu’s self-confessed killer Rashed Chowdhury from the US was also discussed. He also asked for the withdrawal of the US sanction on RAB. Earlier, US President Joe Biden wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing his willingness to work together to achieve Bangladesh’s economic goals. He also expressed willingness to partnering with Bangladesh on the shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. As the two countries embark on the next chapter of the US-Bangladesh partnership, Biden said he wants to convey the sincere desire of his administration to continue their work together on regional and global security, economic development, climate change and energy, global health, humanitarian support, especially for Rohingya refugees, and more. Read more: Fakhrul showers praises on Joe Biden, Kamala Harris “We have a long and successful history of working together to solve problems, and our strong people-to-people ties are the foundation of this relationship,” the US President wrote to PM Sheikh Hasina.

Amid the ongoing conflicts along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, five Rohingya people including a woman with bullet injuries, entered Bangladesh through Shah Porir Dwip jetty in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. The intruders came here from Myanmar crossing the Naf River and arrived at Shah Porir Dwip Jetty Ghat in Teknaf around 4 pm, said Abdus Salam, UP member of ward number 9 of Teknaf Sabarang Union. 330 officials handed over to Myanmar Later, "We informed BGB members and they reached the spot," he added. However, no statement was received from Teknaf Border Guard BGB in this regard. Unidentified man’s body found along Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Cox’s Bazar

Amid the ongoing conflicts along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, 63 more Myanmar forces and border guards have taken shelter in Bangladesh till Wednesday noon, taking the total number to 327, said BGB sources. A total of 327 Myanmar forces including BGP, army personnel and immigration officials have taken shelter in Bangladesh, said Shariful Islam, public relations officer (PRO) of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The 63 Myanmar forces have entered Bangladesh today with arms through Whaikhong in Teknaf border. The BGB disarmed them and took them to a safe shelter, the PRO said. Read: What the BGB DG said during visit to Bangladesh-Myanmar border today In a statement during his visit to the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Cox’s Bazar today (February 7, 2024), Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, newly appointed Director General of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), declared the force’s high alert status to address any potential border-related incidents. During the visit, Major General Siddiqui underscores the BGB’s commitment to maintaining security and sovereignty while adhering to humanitarian principles and fostering positive international relations. “The border situation is fully under control, and we are dedicated to managing it with patience, humanitarian considerations, and in a manner that respects our international obligations, as directed by the Prime Minister. Under no circumstances will illegal entry into Bangladesh be permitted,” Major General Siddiqui emphasized. His remarks came during a thorough inspection of the border outposts at Tambru and Ghumdum areas within the Naikhongchhari upazila. This tour included assessments of the operational conditions and morale among BGB personnel stationed along this critical frontier. Read: No more Rohingyas to be allowed in: New BGB Chief A Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man were killed following an explosion of a mortar shell at a house in Jolpaitoli under Ghumdum union of Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban district on Monday. Besides, academic activities of five government primary schools in Naikhangchhari upazila have been suspended.

So far, 264 Myanmar forces, including BGP and army personnel, have fled and taken shelter in Bangladesh amid clashes between the Myanmar military and the armed rebel group, Arakan Army, said Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, director general of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). “The border situation is now under control and we are trying to deal with the situation as humanely as possible while maintaining international relations,” the newly appointed BGB chief said while talking to reporters after paying tribute at the mausoleum of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Tuesday. Police working with BGB to ensure security at Bangladesh-Myanmar border: IGP Until Monday night, 115 Myanmar forces had taken shelter in Bangladesh and 114 security personnel arrived till Tuesday morning while 35 more entered in the afternoon, he said. So far, a total of 264 Myanmar security personnel have surrendered, he added. “We have given shelter and food to them. Among them 15 were injured. Eight of them were undergoing treatment at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital and Chattogram Medical College and Hospital,” said the BGB DG. Tension at the border: What Dhaka told the Myanmar Ambassador Two people including a Bangladeshi woman were killed following an explosion of a mortar shell on Monday, he said, adding, “Such deaths can’t be acceptable.” Besides, 65 Rohingyas, who tried to enter the country by boats, were sent back, he said. “No more Rohingya will be allowed,” said the BGB chief.

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday (February 06, 2024) said that the Rohingya repatriation issue will be discussed with India during his first bilateral visit to New Delhi apart from discussion on overall bilateral issues. He mentioned that Myanmar is a neighbouring country for both Bangladesh and India. Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the minister said Bangladesh has been seeking India's support regarding the Rohingya repatriation. "So, overall this issue will be discussed," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last September where the Rohingya issue was discussed. 123 more Myanmar security forces including army men make their way into Bangladesh: BGB With regard to the regional situation, Modi expressed appreciation of the burden shouldered by Bangladesh in hosting over a million persons displaced from the Rakhine State in Myanmar, and conveyed India's constructive and positive approach to support solutions towards safe and sustainable repatriation of the refugees. Since the Foreign Minister will have a meeting with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the current security situation in Myanmar is likely to be discussed in the context of regional issues, said a diplomatic source. The foreign minister is going to India tonight (Tuesday) and is scheduled to hold a meeting with his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishanka on Wednesday. The foreign minister is likely to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will have a separate meeting with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal during his stay in New Delhi. He will also pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the iconic Rajghat. Foreign Ministry summons Myanmar Ambassador He is likely to attend a seminar, too. Asked about BNP's comment that the Myanmar BGP members are entering Bangladesh and the conflicts are spilling into Bangladesh territory due to the government's “lenient foreign policy,” Hasan said BNP leaders were "speaking the language of the insane." "BNP thought that the foreign countries will not welcome the new government of Bangladesh after the polls, but now that all are welcoming and expressing their interest to work with us, BNP is speaking the language of the insane," he said. Though the Foreign Minister will go to New Delhi directly, he will return to Dhaka via Kolkata on Friday night (February 9), a senior official told UNB. In Kolkata, he will attend a "meet the press" event and a reception, to be hosted by the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission. Earlier, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Seheli Sabrin, said issues of mutual interest including trade, connectivity and energy cooperation, people-to-people contacts and regional cooperation will be discussed between the two sides at the bilateral meeting to further strengthen Bangladesh-India relations. Asked whether the Teesta water-sharing issue will be discussed in the meeting, the foreign ministry spokesperson said they expect the issue would be discussed. Tension at the border: What Dhaka told the Myanmar Ambassador

US President Joe Biden has written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing his willingness to work together to achieve Bangladesh's economic goals. He also expressed willingness to partnering with Bangladesh on their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. "The United States is committed to supporting Bangladesh's ambitious economic goals and partnering with Bangladesh on our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," President Biden said in his letter seen by UNB. Entire world willing to work with Bangladesh as PM Hasina placed it in dignified position: FM Hasan As the two countries embark on the next chapter of the U.S.-Bangladesh partnership, the US President said he wants to convey the sincere desire of his Administration to continue their work together on regional and global security, economic development, climate change and energy, global health, humanitarian support, especially for Rohingya refugees, and more. "We have a long and successful history of working together to solve problems, and our strong people-to-people ties are the foundation of this relationship," the US President wrote to PM Sheikh Hasina. Hungary, Kyrgyzstan greet PM Sheikh Hasina on her re-election The Embassy of the United States of America shared the letter with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently.

Across a treacherous stretch of water, the Rohingya came by the thousands, then died by the hundreds. And though they know the dangers of fleeing by boat, many among this persecuted people say they will not stop — because the world has left them with no other choice. Last year, nearly 4,500 Rohingya — two-thirds of them women and children — fled their homeland of Myanmar and the refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh by boat, the United Nations’ refugee agency reported. Of those, 569 died or went missing while crossing the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the highest death toll since 2014. The numbers mean one out of every eight Rohingya who attempted the crossing never made it, the UNHCR said last week. Yet despite the risks, there are no signs the stream of Rohingya is ebbing. On Thursday, Indonesian officials said another boat carrying Rohingya refugees landed in the country’s northern province of Aceh. Not a good time for Rohingya repatriation, UN Resident Coordinator says Fishermen provided food and water to 131 Rohingya, mostly women and children, who had been on board, said Marzuki, the leader of the local tribal fishing community, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. Some passengers told officials they had been at sea since last month and their boat's engine had broken down, leaving them adrift, said Lt. Col. Andi Susanto, commander of the navy base in Lhokseumawe. “Southeast Asian waters are one of the deadliest stretches in the world and a graveyard for many Rohingya who have lost their lives,” says Babar Baloch, UNHCR’s spokesman for Asia and the Pacific. “The rate of Rohingya who are dying at sea without being rescued — that’s really alarming and worrying.” Inside the squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh, where more than 750,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims fled in 2017 following sweeping attacks by Myanmar’s military, the situation has grown increasingly desperate. Not even the threat of death at sea is enough to stop many from trying to traverse the region’s waters in a bid to reach Indonesia or Malaysia. “We need to choose the risky journey by boat because the international community has failed their responsibility,” says Mohammed Ayub, who is saving up money for a spot on one of the rickety wooden fishing boats traffickers use to ferry passengers 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) from Bangladesh to Indonesia. Global indifference toward the Rohingya crisis has left those languishing in the overcrowded camps with few alternatives to fleeing. Because Bangladesh bans the Rohingya from working, their survival is dependent upon food rations, which were slashed last year due to a drop in global donations. Returning safely to Myanmar is virtually impossible for the Rohingya, because the military that attacked them overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in 2021. And no country is offering the Rohingya any large-scale resettlement opportunities. Meanwhile, a surge in killings, kidnappings and arson attacks by militant groups in the camps has left residents fearing for their lives. And so, starving, scared and out of options, they continue to board the boats. Ayub has lived in a sweltering, cramped shelter for more than six years in a camp where security and sanitation are scarce, and hope even scarcer. There is no formal schooling for his children, no way for him to earn money, no prospects for returning to his homeland and no refuge for his family amid spiraling gang violence. World must find an end to Rohingya crisis for their return to Myanmar: PM Hasina tells UK MPs “Of course I understand how dangerous the boat journey by sea is,” Ayub says. “We could die during the journey by boat. But it depends on our fate. ... It’s better to choose the dangerous way even if it’s risky, because we are afraid to stay in the camps.” Two hundred of the people who died or went missing at sea last year were aboard one boat that left Bangladesh in November. Eyewitnesses on a nearby boat told The Associated Press that the missing vessel, which was crowded with babies, children and mothers, broke down and was taking on water before it drifted off during a storm as its passengers screamed for help. It has not been seen since. It was one of several distressed boats that the region’s coastal countries neglected to save, despite the UNHCR’s requests for those countries to launch search and rescue missions. “When no action is taken, lives are lost,” says UNHCR’s Baloch. “If there is no hope restored in Rohingya lives either in Myanmar or in Bangladesh, there are no rescue attempts, (then) sadly we could see more desperate people dying in Southeast Asian seas under the watch of coastal authorities who could act to save lives.” Six of Mohammed Taher’s family members were aboard the boat that vanished in November, including his 15-year-old brother, Mohammed Amin, and two of Taher’s nephews, aged 3 and 4. Their ultimate destination was Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country where many Rohingya seek relative safety. Taher and his parents now struggle to sleep or eat, and spend their days agonizing over what became of their loved ones. Taher’s mother saw a fortune teller who said her relatives were still alive. Taher, meanwhile, dreamed that the boat made it to shore, where his relatives took refuge in a school and were able to bathe in warm water. But he remains unconvinced their journey ended so happily. And so he has vowed to tell everyone to stay off the boats, no matter how unbearable life on land has become. “I will never leave by boat on this difficult journey,” Taher says. “All the people who reached their destination are saying that it’s horrific traveling by boat.” Yet such warnings are often futile. Ayub is now preparing to sell his daughter’s jewelry to help pay for his spot on a boat. While he is frightened by the stories of those who didn’t make it, he is motivated by the stories of those who did. “Nobody would consider taking a risk by boat on a dangerous journey if they had better opportunities,” he says. “Fortunately, some people did reach their destination and got a better life. I am staying positive that Allah will save us.” FM hopeful of Rohingya repatriation soon