Myanmar and Bangladesh are making a second attempt to start repatriating Rohingya Muslims after more than 700,000 of them fled Myanmar almost two years ago. (Source: AFP/VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Myanmar and Bangladesh aremaking a second attempt to start repatriating Rohingya Muslims after more than700,000 of them fled Myanmar almost two years ago, the UN Refugee Agency(UNHCR) said on August 16.
Caroline Gluck, a UNHCR spokesperson, said the Bangladesh Government has askedfor its help in verifying 3,450 people who signed up for a voluntaryrepatriation.
She said the list was whittled from 22,000 names that Bangladesh had sent toMyanmar for verification.
Gluck said it is unclearwhen any repatriation might begin, given the need to find and check all theindividuals and the fact that there is a major holiday at the moment inBangladesh.
According to the World Food Programme, up to 80 percent of theRohingya refugees are entirely dependent on WFP food assistance.
UN programmes feed close to 900,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh at a cost ofaround 24 million USD per month.-VNA
VNA
