Making money from the tragedy of Rohingyas

It is despicable when some unscrupulous, greedy men turn the plight of people into a business for making money. A report published in this paper yesterday revealed how some opportunist brokers are charging exorbitant amounts of money from Rohingyas to help them cross into Bangladesh.

The issue here is not one of whether Bangladesh should close its borders to the Rohingyas or not. We understand the horror of the situation of the Rohingyas in Myanmar, as the genocide against this minority continues unabated. The international silence is complicit in the mass murder and rape that the Rohingyas are victims to. And while we have previously said that Bangladesh should do what it can on humanitarian grounds, it cannot be the solution.

These details are all the more reason to find the business of brokers repulsive. We reported of Rohingyas who had to pay anywhere from Tk 1,000 to Tk 10,000 per head to cross the Naf. We condemn this 'business' not only on a moral standing, but due to the dangers that the Rohingyas are subject to from these villainous men.

The plight of refugees cannot be a money making business. The situation is tricky, and we repeat, that a balance needs to be found to help the Rohingya people. Our financial and security concerns are real, but that cannot be a reason to turn back refugees from the sea. But, none of this – even our concern to help them – can justify what these brokers are doing. We condemn this business of making profit out of lives of people fleeing persecution and ask that authorities put an end to it.