Bangladesh: Rohingya leader Md Mohibullah shot dead in Cox's Bazar, condolences pour in

Prominent Rohingya leader Md Mohibullah died on Wednesday after being shot by unidentified gunmen in Cox's bazar, Bangladesh. The 50-year-old refugee leader was at the Kutupalong camp when he was attacked, the Associated Press reported citing the Armed Police Battalion at Cox's Bazar. Mohibullah was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. 

A school teacher by profession, Mohibullah gained recognition as an international representative of the Muslim ethnic group. He was currently in the chair of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights and had advocated for Rohingya’s rights at the White House and also the UN High Commission for Refugees.

In the aftermath of his demise, condolences have poured in from across the world.  Tun Khin, a Rohingya activist took to Twitter to express that he was “devastated” by the tragedy and also called for justice for the dead leader. In addendum, Meenakshi Ganguly, Human Rights Watch (South Asia director) said that Mohibullah was a pivotal voice of the Rohingya community and called for an urgent probe in the matter. 

“He always defended the rights of the Rohingya to safe and dignified returns and to have a say in the decisions concerning their lives and future. His killing is a stark demonstration of the risks faced by those in the camps who speak up for freedom and against violence. Mohibullah’s death undermines not only the struggle of Rohingya refugees for greater rights and protection in the refugee camps, but also their efforts to safely return to their homes in Myanmar. Bangladesh authorities should urgently investigate Mohibullah’s killing along with other attacks on Rohingya activists in the camps,” she was quoted as saying by AP. 

Persecution of Rohingyas 

In 2017, a military crackdown led to over 7,30,000 ethnic Rohingya people crossing the border to enter Bangladesh, Later, investigations by United Nations discovered that the crackdown was made with “genocidal intent”. Since then, refugees in the camps are increasing, creating border troubles for Myanmar, Bangladesh and India. 

The Rohingya people have been described as "one of the world's least wanted minorities" and "some of the world's most persecuted people" in the world. In February 1992, Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release, "In actual fact, although there are (135) national races living in Myanmar today, the so-called Rohingya people is not one of them. As per the UNHCR, over 742,000 refugees have fled to Bangladesh since 25 August 2017.''

Image: na_nznn/Twitter

(With inputs from AP)