Singapore
Bangladesh has begun preparations to repatriate an initial batch of Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar on Thursday, but it is still unclear if any of them want to return, humanitarian officials said.
Rohingya refugee children fly kites on top of their shelter at Balikhali camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, November 14, 2018. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain
COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh: The repatriation of Rohingya Muslims back to Myanmar will not begin on Thursday as planned, said a source directly briefed of the matter late on Wednesday.
“It is not happening tomorrow as nobody wants to go back,” said the source, who spoke on condition on anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The Bangladesh government was not immediately reachable for comment. Bangladesh had begun preparations to repatriate an initial batch of Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar on Thursday, in line with a plan agreed by the two governments in October.
(Reporting by Ruma Paul; Writing by Euan Rocha; editing by John Stonestreet)
