But the subsequent coronavirus scare appears to have persuaded Bangladesh authorities to at least use the facilities on the island for quarantining rescued Rohingya boat people. Last weekend, 29 Rohingya found on another vessel adrift at sea were also taken to the island, which now has electric lighting and cell phone towers. Another boat that landed on the coast of Bangladesh in mid-April was packed with hundreds of starving and emaciated Rohingya. In 2015, hundreds of Rohingya died after a crackdown in Thailand led smugglers to abandon their human cargo at sea. Malaysia last month turned away a boat carrying 200 suspected Rohingya and has also arrested some people believed to be Rohingya for suspected trafficking of illegal migrants.

Source: bd News24 May 08, 2020 05:37 UTC