Many victims have broken down emotionally and psychologically after losing a large part of their hard earned savings marked for life saving medical expenditure.
October 5, 2016
Brokers facilitating the crossover of Rohingyas into Bangladesh territory have been robbing their clients. Such incidents have been on the rise in recent times, especially regards the medical refugees.
Our correspondent on the Taimbru border reports, an increasing number of robberies committed by unscrupulous brokers have left many Rohingyas at a desperate financial loss from which they are unlikely to recover. Many have broken down emotionally and psychologically after losing a large part of their hard earned savings marked for life saving medical expenditure.
One the victims, Md Ilias, 44, told our correspondent that he was crossing into Bangladesh with his wife for medical treatment when the broker and his cohorts robbed them of all their possessions. Altogether he lost 30,000 Bangladesh taka in cash, and valuable gold jewellery. As a result, the couple has to go back without medical treatment.
Taimbru has evolved as the primary crossing point for Rohingyas, especially those seeking medical treatment. But as brokers become robbers, many are considering whether crossing into Bangladesh is worth the risk, even when there is a dire need for medical attention. The patients or their families have to work extremely hard to raise money for the Bangladesh journey and the pricey medical care, but losing everything to the robbers is now becoming a common occurrence.
Rohingya Muslims are generally denied treatment by doctors in Arakan.
Our correspondent says that most of these Rohingyas are extremely desperate for medical care, and generally carry a large amount of cash, often a large proportion of their life savings. They also carry gold, as a means of payment for an emergency situation. Agents have also identified the vulnerability of these medical refugees.
The agents have good working relationships with the border agencies of both countries.
Photo: Saydur Rahman
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