Activities of ERC Delegation in Bangladesh

European Rohingya Council (ERC) is a Europe-Wide Rohingya Organization formed on 8th October 2012 in order to strive for the cause of Rohingya minority that is on the verge of extermination. Immediately two or three months after its formation, ERC made a history by sending its delegation on 24th December 2012 led by its Media and Information Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, to Bangladesh to acquire firsthand information on Rohingya Crises. Among the Rohingya organizations in exile (other than Bangladesh), ERC’s delegation was the first to pay a visit to the Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh and distributed some relief goods to the most vulnerable Rohingyas languishing along in Bangladesh side of the border. 

The delegation visited Kutu Palong Refugee camp in Teknaf and many unregistered Rohingya refugees at Yunaani in Cox’s Bazaar. Relief Packets consist of basic commodity such as rice, oil, been, etc. were distributed to the refugees in both camps. The situation in the refugee camps were seen worsening day by day. There are no opportunities for the refugees in the camps to work and earn for their livelihoods and humanitarian assistance provided by international organizations and NGOs doesn’t reach to them. Besides, these vulnerable refugees are oppressed by the Bangladesh authorities. The members of delegation were awestruck to see how they, who had to leave their homeland to escape the atrocities, are equally persecuted and oppressed in the land where they have sought shelter. Therefore, we, ERC, plead to international government bodies, INGOs and NGOs to pay more attention on these hopeless and helpless people. 

Moreover, the delegation met up with Dr. Habib Siddiqui and other Rohingya intellectuals in Bangladesh and discussed over the dire situation of Rohingyas in Arakan and came to a point to conduct the future Rohingya political affairs effectively and smoothly. On top of that, an ERC representative committee was set up to work under and with the ERC’s head office in Europe. Most of the members of the representative committee are students and intellectuals (both male and female). 

In the later days, the delegation had the fruitful discussion with the Embassy of Germany and European Parliament Representative. During the discussions, the delegation raised the critical and dire humanitarian issues concerning Rohingyas both in Myanmar and Bangladesh and agreed to work to find out long-term solutions to the problem. Besides, there were few NGOs the delegation seeking the ways to improve the situation of Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh and provide them basic education. 

Before coming back from Bangladesh, the delegation arranged a meeting with 15 Bangladeshi Journalists and requested them to highlight the plights of the Rohingya victims of genocide in Arakan. In return, the journalists promised us to publish at least two or three articles a month on the plight of Rohingyas.