UN rights chief urges Bangladesh to accept Rohingya boats

DHAKA AFP April27, 2020 – A top UN official has urged Bangladesh to let two stranded boatloads of starving Rohingya Muslims land amid mounting fears Monday over the fate of the refugees.  Â

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned of a “human tragedy of terrible proportions” unless action is taken to help the Rohingya.  Â

The appeal was made to the Bangladesh government after Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen said the South Asian country would not accept the boats.  Â

His declaration last week set alarm bells ringing as it came only days after dozens of Rohingya died on a boat that waited at sea for two months before it could land.  Â

The one million Rohingya in camps in Bangladesh, where they fled a military crackdown in their native Myanmar, favour going to Malaysia as it is Muslim majority country with more work opportunities.   “In a spirit of solidarity and at the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, I appeal to you in the strongest terms to open your ports and allow the boats to land,” Bachelet said in the letter, a copy of which was obtained copy by AFP.Â