COX'S BAZAR, Feb 04: The biometric registration of 1,058,270 Rohingya people was completed at seven out of 12 refugee camps in Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas of the district till Thursday.
According to official sources, Department of Immigration and Passport has so far registered more than 1.58 million Rohingya refugees.
Relief and Refugee Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammad Abul Kalam said the registration of Rohingya refugees is going on in full swing at Balukhali, Kutupalong-1, Kutupalong-2, Nayapara, Thainkhali-1, Thainkhali-2 and Shamlapur camps.
Registration started on September 11 last year. During registration, Department of Social Welfare detected 36,373 orphan children at 12 refugee camps. Of them, 17,395 were boys and 18,978 were girls. In addition, 7,771 orphan children have no parents. Their parents were killed during an ethnic cleansing operation against Muslim Rohingyas in Rakhine state by the Myanmar military.
On the other hand, influx of Rohingya people from Myanmar into Bangladesh is still continuing. According to border sources, about 100-150 Rohingyas are entering Bangladesh through Anjumanpara and Shahporir Dweep border points every day.
They said due to international pressure, Myanmar army stopped persecution of Rohingyas in December last year. But army men and Buddhist terrorists started persecution again in Maungdaw, Bhucidong and Rachidong townships of Rakhine state in recent times.
Newly arrived Rohingyas said they reached Shahporir Dweep of Teknaf by bamboo-made rafts crossing the Naf River.
Myanmar army and their associates started harvesting Rohingya paddy fields and shut down rice and food shops in different areas, they said, adding that army men created artificial food crisis in most areas of Rakhine state.
On the other hand, the Cox's Bazar district administration slapped restrictions on carrying Rohingyas by any Bangladeshi oarsman or broker from Myanmar to Bangladesh.
At present, Rohingyas are crossing the Naf River by jerrycan and bamboo-made rafts. A raft takes 5-6 hours to cross the river.
According to Ukhia, Teknaf police and BGB sources, at least 4,500 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh from Rakhine state in last one and a half months. With this, the number of Rohingya refugees stands at 688,970 since August 25, RRRC office sources said.
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