Sir: The Rohingya Muslim issue in Myanmar is the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis. Over 90,000 refugees are fleeing from Myanmar to Bangladesh where they are surviving in camps, and only have frail tents made of plastic and bamboo for shelter.
According to The Needs and Population Monitoring Report, approximately 867, 673 Rohingya refugees are living in Bangladesh. This includes 48,000 pregnant women, who will be forced to give birth in deplorable conditions. Here the mothers and children will be vulnerable to diseases like measles, cholera and diphtheria.
Many Rohingya Muslims have already died on the journey from Myanmar to Bangladesh. Approximately 1,033 refugees reach Bangladesh every day. 60 percent of these are children. Meanwhile, they face increasing violence and discrimination in their own country. I request all national and international authorities to take immediate action to give the Rohingya people the relief they need from the persecution they are suffering.
MAHAM YASEEN
Turbat
Published in Daily Times, January 15th 2018.