200,000 Rohingya rally to mark two years of exile in Bangladesh

Some 200,000 Rohingya rallied in a refugee camp in Teknaf on Sunday to mark two years since they fled a violent crackdown by Myanmar forces, just days after a second failed attempt to repatriate the refugees, report agencies.
Around 740,000 Rohingya from Myanmar's Rakhine state escaped in August 2017 during the brutal offensive, joining another 200,000 who fled earlier persecution.
The nearly one million refugees now live in three dozen squalid camps in Cox's Bazar.
On Sunday, children, women and men shouted "God is Great, Long Live Rohingya" as they marched at the heart of the world's largest refugee camp, to commemorate what they described as "Genocide Day".
Under the scorching sun, thousands joined in a popular song with the lyrics "the world does not listen to the woes of Rohingya".
"I have come here to seek justice for the murder of my two sons. I will continue to seek justice till my last breath," 50-year-old Tayaba Khatun said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah said the stateless minority wanted to return home, but only after they were granted citizenship, their security was ensured and they were allowed to settle back in their villages.
"We have asked the Burmese government for dialogue. But we haven't got any response from them yet," Ullah told the rally.
"We were beaten, killed and raped in Rakhine. But still that is our home. And we want to go back."
Young Rohingya students from schools set up by aid agencies held marches with black flags and chanted slogans, "yes Rohingya, ... no Bengali," in reference to the term Myanmar have used for the ethnic group.
The refugees offered special prayers, seeking divine blessings for people who had died. They had large banners urging Myanmar to "talk to us about citizenship and Rohingya ethnicity".
Police officer Zakir Hassan said some 200,000 Rohingya took part in the peaceful gathering, which was attended by UN officials.
Security was tight across Kutupalong camp, the world's largest refugee settlement and home to more than 600,000 Rohingya.
The rally came three days after the failed attempt to repatriate the refugees, which saw not a single Rohingya turn up to return across the border.