JS body fears crisis may drag on for years

A parliamentary body yesterday made several recommendations to the government including taking long-term measures to deal with the Rohingya issue, saying the crisis might last for many years.

The parliamentary standing committee on home affairs also suggested that the ministry create a special archive of print and electronic media reports involving Rohingyas.

“The archive will help the world community get real information on Myanmar authorities' atrocities against Rohingya people. The future generation will also be able to know in details about the much talked-about ethnic cleansing,” the committee member, Fakhrul Imam, who was present at the meeting, told The Daily Star. 

Fakhrul, also a Jatiya Party MP, said that after elaborate discussion, the committee urged the government to consider it a long-term problem and take measures accordingly.

The parliamentary watchdog also said the home ministry should take special measures for orphaned Rohingya children and pregnant women on humanitarian grounds.

The committee called for engaging "all forces" of the government to tackle the problem and ensuring coordination in their works.

Meanwhile, the Jatiya Sangsad body members will visit refugee camps in Cox's Bazar soon to get first-hand experience on the plight of the "forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals".

As of October 3, more than 5.09 lakh Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh since August 25, the day Myanmar army launched a fresh offensive against the minority in Rakhine State.

Pointing to the biometric registration of Rohingyas, the committee asked the authorities concerned to expedite the activities.

POLICE, ACC HAILED

At the meeting, the JS body discussed the traffic jam problem and hailed police for their recent “brave actions” against the drivers who used wrong side of Hare Road of the capital.

In a rare instance, police on September 24 filed cases against 57 drivers and fined them for using the wrong side of Hare Road as part of their drive to mitigate traffic congestion intensified by vehicles plying the wrong side of roads.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Iqbal Mahmood, who was on the road at the time, stopped near the police check post and encouraged the policemen to enforce traffic rules, sources said.

A state minister, a lawmaker and several top bureaucrats were in some of the vehicles.

The JS body urged police to continue such drives, and praised the ACC chief for his presence, saying it would inspire police to take action against the VIPs who often take the wrong side.