Rescue of Rohingyas by Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Coast Guard recently rescued 396 Rohingya people who had been at sea for weeks and attempting to reach Malaysia.

About the Incident

The Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued 396 Rohingya people from the sea. They had been trying to reach the Malaysian coast by boat. Of the original passengers, nearly 50 had died during the period due to ailment and malnutrition. The rescued people had been handed over to UNHCR for quarantining against COVID-19.

Rohingya People

The Rohingya people are stateless people of Indo-Aryan ethnicity. They predominantly follow Islamism and resided in the Rakhine state of Myanmar. They are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. Myanmar does not recognise them as its citizens. They also face restrictions from accessing state education, civil service jobs, etc. in Myanmar.

UNHCR

UNHCR or United Nations High Commission for Refugees is a UN agency engaged in protection of refugees, stateless people and forcibly displaced people. It was created in 1950 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is concerned with supervision of implementation of states’ obligations under international refugee laws.

SAR Convention

The SAR Convention or the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue was adopted in 1979 at a conference in Hamburg. It requires the search and rescue organisations to assist persons in distress at sea irrespective of their nationality and status. The SAR organisation is to provide initial medical help and other needs before delivering the persons to a place of safety.