C T Online Desk: At least 95 children are born every day in Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps that host about 10 lakh forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals.
The defence ministry has revealed it in a report submitted to the parliamentary standing committee on defence.
The committee discussed the report at its meeting chaired by committee chairman Mohammad Shubid Ali Bhuiyan at Parliament Bhaban on Wednesday.
According to the report, the Rohingya population may increase to 12–13 lakh by 2025.
The Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar area is vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and diphtheria, the report stated.
So far 710 people have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in the Cox’s Bazar area while 612 of them are Rohingya, it said, adding that 61 Rohingyas died of HIV/AIDS until as of December 22, 2022.
According to the report, there are 11 active armed groups, including the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army and the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation, in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar.
The ARSA has control over most of the camps, said the report, mentioning that the Tambru Konapara camp located on the Bangladesh and Myanmar border’s Zero Line became a hub for ARSA organisational activities, training, drug smuggling and violent activities due to the inability to strengthen regular patrols and surveillance.
Of the 11 groups, the ARSA is active in Ukhia, Balukhali, Palang Khali and Hoykong areas, the RSO and Master Munna Group are active at Ukhia and Palang Khali, Islami Mahaz and Jabu Dacoit Gangs are active in Hoykong and Nayapara camps and Chakma Dacoit Gang, Nabi Hussain Dacoit Gang, Putia Dacoit Gang, Salman Shah Dacoit Gang and Khalek Dacoit Gang are active at Nayapara, the report stated.
Stating that the ARSA has control over most of the camps, it also said that the ARSA and Nabi Hussain group often engaged in clashes for dominance.
It said that a total of 64 killings occurred in the refugee camps in 2021 and 2022. Of them, 22 people were killed in 2021 and the rest 42 were killed in 2022.
