Bangladeshi journos protest Rohingya crisis

A web-based Bangladeshi journalists’ forum organised a human chain in Dhaka and handed over a protest note to the Myanmar embassy against the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya ethnic group. The protest was held in Gulshan 2, Dhaka on Sunday. The journalists demanded a solution of the Rohingya crisis at the human chain. Participants chanted slogans such as “Stop killing Rohingya,” “Stop genocide in Myanmar,” “Take back Rohingya” and “Save humanity.” Speakers at the event criticised the government of Myanmar, led by the Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, and its army. The protest note read: “We, the people of Bangladesh, are extremely shocked seeing brutality and persecution along your border with us. With the bloodshed, you have triggered a humanitarian crisis posing threat to our national security as hundreds of thousands your nationals fleeing persecution in your Rakhine state. We demand you to stop killing civilian Rohingya, resolve the crisis jointly or multilaterally, create room for your Rohingya nationals, and take them back from Bangladeh immediately.” “We want to see Myanmar as our friendly neighbour and which indeed is crucial for regional development. Your development will be meaningless once you push your neighbour into danger,” the note added. According to the United Nation Refugee Agency- UNHCR, at least 270,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh in last two weeks seeking safety after Myanmar military launched attacks on them since August 25. Myanmar Army started their "Anti-terrorism operation" in the Rakhine state as a counter-attack of Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), formerly known as Harakah al-Yaqin’s attack on 30 police posts and an army base in the state. The coordinator of the programme Muktadir Rashid Romeo, a correspondent with the Daily New Age, said: “As a small country, we do not have enough strength to support the Rohingya people properly. It is shocking how the wealthy western countries are overlooking the issue. We want the Myanmar government to stop such brutal actions and the western countries and the UN to open their eyes.” “We would want our neighbour Myanmar to be in good terms with us. But I fear it would not be possible if the country does not stop putting us in trouble with such issues,” he added. Students and passerby also joined the programme.