Bangladesh Christian leaders have expressed “deep concern” about an attack on Rohingya Christian families [1] at the Kutupalong Maga refugee camp in Bangladesh last week. The next day, 25 Christian families (70 people) were moved to a UNHCR transit camp.
“The attack is a very sad episode,” said Nirmol Rozario, president of the Bangladesh Christian Association, speaking to AsiaNews. Although the exact reasons for the incident are not yet established, one of the Christian refugees, Saiful Islam Peter, said that intolerance against “the Christian faith” was the cause. The attack has been blamed on members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), who “destroyed our homes and church,” Peter said.
According to the victims, 12 people were wounded in the attack, eight requiring hospitalisation.
In addition to the 25 Christian families in Kutupalong, 444 Hindu families have also relocated to the Ukhia camp.
Caritas Bangladesh is present in the camps, working for everyone, whether they are Christian, Hindu or Muslim, a Caritas official said. The Catholic charity doesn’t consider the religion of the people they serve. Each camp has a person in charge of conflict resolution who, with the police, tries to settle issues.