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Atrocities committed after BNP victory in 2001: US committee
Washington, June 01: Militant Islamists targetted Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and moderate Muslims after the BNP and its allies won elections and formed government in 2001, according to annual report of US committee for refugees.
Washington, June 01: Militant Islamists targetted Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and moderate Muslims after the BNP and its allies won elections and formed government in 2001, according to annual report of US committee for refugees.
The attackers reportedly committed rape, looting, house burning and theft of livestock and household goods. Between 5,000 and 20,000 Bangladeshi Hindus fled to India, it said.
"At the end of 2002, reliable estimates of Bangladeshi Hindus who were internally displaced or who were asylum seekers in India were unavailable," the report added.
At the end of 2002, Bangladesh hosted more than 122,000 refugees and asylum seekers including nearly 21,900 Burmese Rohingya (Muslims) recognized as prima facie refugees by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
An estimated 100,000 other Rohingya who fled religious and other forms of persecution in Myanmar to Bangladesh since 1993 are not assisted by the UNHCR, and are considered illegal immigrants by the Bangladeshi government, it said.
Between mid-1992 and 1999, more than 230,000 Rohingya were repatriated with the assistance of UNHCR. Bangladesh "coerced most of the refugees into returning" after their names were cleared by the military regime in Yangon, it said.
At the end of 2002, nearly 21,900 of the Rohingya who entered Bangladesh in 1991 to 1992 remained in Bangladesh, mostly living in two UNHCR-run camps. Of those, Burma had cleared nearly 5,600 of them for return, the report said.
Bureau Report
"At the end of 2002, reliable estimates of Bangladeshi Hindus who were internally displaced or who were asylum seekers in India were unavailable," the report added.
At the end of 2002, Bangladesh hosted more than 122,000 refugees and asylum seekers including nearly 21,900 Burmese Rohingya (Muslims) recognized as prima facie refugees by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
An estimated 100,000 other Rohingya who fled religious and other forms of persecution in Myanmar to Bangladesh since 1993 are not assisted by the UNHCR, and are considered illegal immigrants by the Bangladeshi government, it said.
Between mid-1992 and 1999, more than 230,000 Rohingya were repatriated with the assistance of UNHCR. Bangladesh "coerced most of the refugees into returning" after their names were cleared by the military regime in Yangon, it said.
At the end of 2002, nearly 21,900 of the Rohingya who entered Bangladesh in 1991 to 1992 remained in Bangladesh, mostly living in two UNHCR-run camps. Of those, Burma had cleared nearly 5,600 of them for return, the report said.
Bureau Report