Friday, January 1, 2021

Calls for release of man arrested photographing transfer of Rohingyas.

By: Md Saidul Hoque

Bangladesh authorities are facing calls to release a Rohingya man arrested while photographing the transfer of refugees to a controversial island camp this week.
Abul Kalam, 35, has been held since Monday morning when he was reportedly beaten before being taken to police barracks near the Kutupalong refugee camp, where he has lived since leaving Myanmar as a child refugee in the early 1990s.
“Photography is not a crime. Abul Kalam was taking photos of buses on their way to Bhasan Char … it is by no means a secret and has been extensively covered in the media,” said a letter calling for his release.
The letter was signed by Bangladeshi and international rights activists and journalists, including Bianca Jagger, renowned Bangladesh photographer Shahidul Alam, who was detained for months after covering protests in 2018, prominent lawyer Sara Hossain and Prof Penny Green, founder of the International State Crime Initiative at Queen Mary University of London.
Bangladesh moved up to 1,000 people on Monday in its second batch of relocations from the Cox’s Bazar-based settlements, which make up the world’s largest refugee camp, to the isolated island in the Bay of Bengal.The relocations have been criticised because Bangladesh has not permitted an independent assessment of the island’s safety, despite concerns about its vulnerability to natural disasters.
Two other Rohingya refugees said they had avoided taking pictures of the relocation because of threats and concerns for their safety.
The UN’s refugee chief, Filippo Grandi, also raised concerns in December about whether the refugees were being relocated voluntarily, as Bangladesh claimed, after accusations of coercion.
A UNHCR spokesperson said: “UNHCR has been engaged with the authorities since the arrest of Abul Kalam on 28 December and is following the situation closely to ensure he receives a fair hearing of any charge against him. UNHCR has assigned one of its partner lawyers to represent him during the investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings.”
Earlier this month Abul Kalam won two awards for his work in the Rohingya Photography Competition.

Saturday, February 29, 2020

This is the real face of secular India

Writter: Omar Faruque Mushfique
This is the real face of secular India. Mosques and houses of Muslims are burning in Delhi right now.
Several Muslims murdered on the streets, mosque vandalised, Muslim homes/businesses burned, DELHI terrorised by Hindutva extremists. The world MUST TAKE NOTICE or else this entire fragile region can descend into unprecedented violence.

#DelhiBurning #DelhiRiots

Friday, May 31, 2019

Rohingya refugee thanks Canada 'from the bottom of our hearts' after genocide motion

Channel R24tv

Mohammed Islam is among the hundreds of thousands forced to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh

A Rohingya refugee living in an overcrowded camp in Bangladesh is heaping "heartfelt thanks" on Canada for declaring the Myanmar military's actions against his people a genocide.

The emotional show of gratitude by 28-year-old Mohammed Islam was captured by a film crew working in the camp and shared with CBC.

Islam was responding to last week's motion, unanimously adopted by MPs from all parties, that formally condemns the atrocities against the Muslim minority population as crimes against humanity.

"We have nobody to hear, to solve our problems. Finally the Canadian government declared that my government has committed genocide against the Rohingya people," he said.
"Thanks, from the bottom of our hearts."

Mohammed Islam, left, and Abdul Rahaman speak to a Polish film crew at a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Islam thanked Canada for declaring the actions against Rohingya a genocide.

In addition to his expression of "heartfelt thanks" to Canada and the U.K., Islam conveyed another message: "Please don't abandon us."

John Lyotier is a Canadian working with the film crew, which is putting together a video about how technology can help refugees. He said he was surprised the news of Canada's genocide declaration had made its way into a refugee camp — a place he'd expected to be an informational "black hole."

Islam's unprompted reaction, he said, made him recognize the significant impact that the House of Commons motion had on refugees feeling isolated and forgotten by the rest of the world.

"They are paying attention to what the world's doing, and sometimes all it takes is someone standing up for what is right, and that makes them feel not so alone," Lyotier said in an interview from Bangladesh. "What I think that gave them was hope, and hope is a very precious commodity."

Marek Osiecimski is the Polish director of the video crew, which is due out next spring. He said Islam's plea for the world to remember the Rohingya was a profound moment for him.

"I think it's a great example for the rest of the world. It's a great example for my country, which is still reluctant to do what we should, I think, on helping refugees in Europe," he said. "I really felt proud of Canadians to hear that their Parliament decided to recognize that what happened with the Rohingya people was a genocide."

Sunday, May 26, 2019

নির্যাতিত সিরিয়াবাসীর ইফতারে অর্থ দান করলেন মুশফিক।

Channel R24tv
সিরিয়ার মুসলমানদের উপর অমানবিক নির্যাতন নাড়া দিয়েছে বিশ্ব বিবেককে। এই নাড়ায় হৃদয়ের রক্তক্ষরণ হয়েছে বাংলাদেশ দলের উইকেটরক্ষক মুশফিকুর রহিমেরও।
পবিত্র রমযান মাসে সারাদিন রোজা রেখে ইফতারের অর্থ উপার্জন করা দায় হয়ে দাঁড়িয়েছে  সিরিয়াবাসীর জন্য। যা দেখে নিজেকে ঠিক রাখতে পারেননি বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় দলের উইকেটরক্ষক ব্যাটসম্যান মুশফিকুর রহিম।
ধর্মপ্রাণ মুশফিকুর রহীম সব সময়ই মানবতার পাশে দাঁড়িয়েছেন। সিরিয়ায় বর্তমানে মুসলামনদের উপর অত্যাচারে এবারও পবিত্র রমজান মাসে ইফতারের অর্থ দান করে তাদের পাশে দাঁড়িয়েছেন এই সাবেক অধিনায়ক।
জানা গেছে, সদ্য শেষ হওয়া ত্রিদেশীয় সিরিজে সকল প্রাইজ মানি এবং তার সম্পুর্ণ ম্যাচ ফি তথা প্রায় ৫ লক্ষ্য টাকা সিরিয়ার মুসলমানদের ইফতারের জন্য দান করেছেন মুশফিক।
যুদ্ধবিধ্বস্ত সিরিয়ার অসহায়-দরিদ্র মুসলামনদের জন্য মুশফিকের এমন মানবিক কাজ সত্যিই প্রসংশনীয়। সে কারণে বিশ্বের ক্রিকেট তারকা থেকে শুরু করে খেলা বিষয়ক বিভিন্ন সংস্থা ও ক্রিড়াপ্রেমীরা সাধুবাদ জানাচ্ছেন মুশফিককে।

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has urged the Myanmar government to take action to enable the Rohingyas in Bangladesh and those displaced inside the country to return home safely.

Channel R24tv
Grandi who concluded his five-day visit to Myanmar on Friday, had "constructive and substantive" meetings on Thursday with State Counsellor Daw Aung San SuuKyi and other senior officials, and conveyed UNHCR call.
He noted the positive efforts of the government to develop a national strategy on closure of IDP camps, and stressed the need for sustainable, safe and voluntary solutions to their plight in full consultation with the communities concerned.
On Thursday, Grandi also signed a separate Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Disaster Management of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement covering UNHCR's broader activities throughout the country.
The High Commissioner indicated his satisfaction that the Tripartite MoU will soon be extended for a further year and appreciated the commitment of the government to improve conditions.
Small projects are carried out by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and UNDP teams, under the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the government of Myanmar in June 2018 and have the potential to help foster positive relations between communities, according to UNHCR.
Grandi welcomed the initiatives to find solutions to the displacement in Kachin State and elsewhere, according to UNHCR.
He conveyed the key concerns that he heard both from both the Rakhine and Rohingya communities and from the Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
Grandi committed continued UNHCR engagement to help build the confidence that Rohingyas from Myanmar currently in Bangladesh require for their voluntary and safe return.
He also pledged continued support displaced people and other affected communities.
He also renewed the strong engagement and readiness of his organization to support the Government in finding solutions for displaced and stateless people.
In Maungdaw township, in the northern part of Rakhine State, Grandi traveled to a number of villages to listen to Rakhine, Rohingya and other communities speak of their challenges, needs and hopes.
They conveyed to him that projects in their villages, such as water reservoirs, school rehabilitation, road improvements, provision of bicycles and skills training are already making a difference in their lives.
While driving in northern Rakhine, Grandi saw stretches of empty land once occupied by Rohingya villages now covered by overgrown vegetation.
Few signs remain of the houses and markets that once dotted the landscape.
This was a stark reminder of the violence of 2017 that caused over 740,000 Rohingyas to flee the country.
The High Commissioner noted that for the Rohingya population to return, local development is just one factor in building their confidence.
He emphasized that the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission remain essential, citing his recent visit to Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, where Rohingyas told him that freedom of movement, access to schools and jobs, and, most critically, pathways to citizenship are the most important issues for their return.
The Rohingya villagers he met with who remain in Rakhine echoed these demands, noting their inability to travel for livelihoods, to access higher education and to gain the rights that citizenship affords.
In Buthidaung, at a Buddhist monastery hosting Rakhine people recently displaced as a result of the current insecurity, representatives of the group told Grandi of their wish to return to their homes as soon as possible.
They asked for security to be reestablished, unexploded ordinances cleared and strongly appealed for peace.
The Rakhine State government currently estimates that around 29,000 people, mostly from the Rakhine community, are displaced in seven townships in Rakhine state due to this conflict.
Grandi also met with a group of Rakhine villagers in Maungdaw township, once a cluster of five villages surrounded by farms and fish ponds with a large Rohingya population who are now refugees in Bangladesh.
They expressed concerns about the impact on the local economy and labor shortages following the departure of their Muslim neighbours.
The High Commissioner also visited Rohingya IDP camps on the outskirts of Sittwe, in the central part of Rakhine State.
The camps are segregated from other communities, and restrictions are in place limiting their movement, with severe consequences for their ability to earn a living.
Representatives of the displaced, who have been enduring these conditions for seven years, told Grandi of their wish to return to their places of origin.
They expressed their wish to work, farm or fish in order not to continue living in a state of dependency on humanitarian aid.
But fundamentally, they told him that they yearn for citizenship documentation and equal treatment.
Some 128,000 people are still displaced in central Rakhine since 2012.
From both the long-term and the newly displaced communities, Grandi heard a recurrent desire to return to their original homes as soon as possible.
In his discussions, Grandi also encouraged the Myanmar government to accelerate the verification of some 98,000 refugees remaining in Thailand to allow expanded solutions for this group, through repatriation or legal access to the labour market in Thailand.
Some 729 refugees have returned from Thailand since October 2016, and action is now needed to accelerate solutions for the remainder

UN urges Myanmar to take action for Rohingya return

Channel R24tv
UN commissioner for refugees conveys concerns about Rohingya to top officials during 5-day visit to Myanmar


UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi urged Myanmar to take action to enable the refugees in Bangladesh as well as the displaced inside the country to return home safely.

Grandi made the call during constructive meetings with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior officials on a five-day visit to Myanmar ended on Friday, said a UNHCR report.

The UN High Commissioner conveyed Myanmar the key concerns about Rakhine and Rohingya communities and the refugees in Bangladesh.

Grandi also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Disaster Management of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement regarding UNHCR’s broader activities throughout the country.

During his talks, Grandi also encouraged Myanmar to accelerate the verification of some 98,000 refugees staying in Thailand to allow expanded solutions for this group, through repatriation or legal access to the labour market in Thailand.

Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, have fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.

Since Aug. 25, 2017, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to a report by the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).

More than 34,000 Rohingya were also thrown into fires, while over 114,000 others were beaten, said the report, titled "Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience."

Some 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were raped by Myanmar’s army and police and over 115,000 Rohingya homes were burned down and 113,000 others vandalized, it added.

The UN has also documented mass gang rapes, killings – including of infants and young children – and brutal beatings and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces.

In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity and genocidal intent.


Wednesday, May 22, 2019

দাত ভাংগা জবাব দিলেন চেয়ারম্যান গফুর উদ্দিনকে জাতির প্রতিক মুজিব।

Channel R24tv
 

মা,মাতৃত্ব ও মানব সভ্যতা বিকাশের আবহমান ধারা নিয় অন্তত গফুর উদ্দীন চৌধুরীর মতো একজন জনপ্রতিনিধি যাঁর কথা ও কাজ থেকে জনগন নৈতিকতার শিক্ষা নেবে এমন কদর্য ও অশোভন মন্তব্য আশা করিনি।ওনাকে অত্যন্ত শ্রদ্ধা করি ও সজ্জন হিসেবে জানি,নির্বাচনের মাইকিংয়ে ও ওনার চরিত্র ফুলের মতো পবিত্র বলে শুনেছি কিন্তু এ ধরণের সস্তা ও নিম্নমানের মন্তব্যের পর ওনার নামে অন্য কেউ এই আইডি ব্যাবহার করছে কিনা তা নিয়ে যথেষ্ট সন্ধিহান।

আমার দৃঢ় বিশ্বাস ওনার মতো ভদ্র মানুষ এতো নীচে নামতে পারেননা।যদি সত্যিই এই আইডির মালিক ওনি হয়ে থাকেন ওনার কাছে বিনীত অনুনয় থাকবে যেন সভ্য সমাজ বিনির্মানে ওনার পদবীর মর্যাদা ও দায়িত্বশীলতার প্রতি লক্ষ রেখে মন্তব্য করেন।কারন একটি সমাজ কতটা সভ্য ও সুশীল তা জানতে  সে সমাজের নেতারা দর্পনের ভূমিকা পালন করেন।যারা অন্যের মাকে সম্মান করতে পারেনা তাঁরা মূলত: নিজের মাকেও সম্মান করতে ব্যার্থ হন।

শুভ কামনা