Rohingyas are desperately fleeing Maungdaw, where ongoing clashes between the Arakan Army and Myanmar’s military junta are intensifying. Trapped between the two warring factions, many are being killed or injured. In an attempt to escape the conflict zone and find safety, large numbers of Rohingya refugees are trying to cross into Bangladesh.
A Rohingya community leader says, “Naf-river is the witness of hundreds of Rohingya deaths and I don’t know how many will it take the lives of Rohingya in future”
According to some Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, a boat carrying 18 people from Thara U village in northern Maungdaw capsized while crossing the Naf River on the night of September 23, 2024. Tragically, 10 people are believed to have drowned.
A Rohingya refugee from the Balukhali camp shared that although eight people were rescued, the other ten went missing and are presumed dead. As of now, no bodies have been recovered.
“At around 11 PM on Monday night, a boat carrying 18 people departed from Thara U village heading toward Bangladesh. The boat sank in the middle of the Naf River. Ten people drowned, and their bodies are still missing. The remaining eight were rescued by boatmen,” the refugee said.
Ayesha, a 60 years old woman with her 8 family members that came on 19th August says, it took them 3 days to cross the river because they had to wait amidst the river to enter Bangladesh safely”
The eight survivors are reported to have reached Bangladesh’s Refugee Camp: No.26 in Teknaf area. Among those on the boat were women, but it is unclear how many men were aboard.
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh report that despite efforts by the Bangladesh Border Guard to prevent crossings, Rohingya refugees continue arriving from multiple directions daily due to the escalating conflict in Maungdaw.
Benar News, a sister agency of Radio Free Asia (RFA), reported in mid-September that in the last three months alone, approximately 20,000 Rohingyas have fled northern Rakhine State for Bangladesh, driven by the ongoing fighting.
There are still hundreds of families waiting at the side of Myanmar border that want to come Bangladesh for their safety but they are stuck and surrounded by military junta and Arakan army and they can’t move as well as they don’t have foods to eat and no medical care for their health.
