Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh camps still raise Pakistani flag

[Naveed Yaseen]

By M. Zeeshan Azmat
The refugee camp in Mohammadpur is one of the 70 refugee camps spread over 13 different districts of Bangladesh. It serves as a sanctuary to Pakistanis who have been stranded in Dhaka, Bangladesh for the past 37 years. The camp is the only Geneva Camp for refugees in the country, and is spread over an area measuring 43,000 square feet.

Upon entering the camp, one sees rows of houses lining the camp which are separated by narrow lanes not more than three feet wide. Refugees were brought to the camp by the International Red Cross after General Niazi signed the instrument of surrender to Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora on December 16, 1971. Presently, the fourth generation of stranded Pakistanis reside in camps such as these with their parents, their children, and in some cases, even their grandparents. Many remain hopeful that they would be allowed to return to their homeland in Pakistan.

While talking to The News, a member of the Stranded Pakistanis General Repatriation Committee (SPGRC) said: “There are approximately 300,000 Biharis or stranded Pakistanis living in these camps. They were punished for supporting West Pakistan during the crucial days of the Liberation War, and later victimised for showing a soft corner for the other part of the country.”

On an average, as many as eight people live in a single room that is usually eight feet long and eight feet wide. The only source of water supply is a few rusted and mostly broken hand-pumps, while the number of washrooms available can be counted on one’s fingertips. The camp has no gas supply, because under State law, residents must have a permanent address to avail a gas connection. Refugees do not count.

There have been very few changes in camps such as these since their inception. Concrete blocks have replaced bamboo and jute walls, but conditions remain unhygienic. None of the camps across Bangladesh have health or education centres. A nearby clinic is the only place where refugees from Mohammadpur Camp can avail medical treatment. The centre has one unregistered school where the school management is paid between Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) 15 and 40, but as such, no proper schooling system exists in the camp.

On June 3, 2005, authorities disconnected the supply of electricity to the camp, although they were ordered to restore the connection by the Supreme Court some ten days later. Refugees claimed that electricity supply was cut-off in an attempt to evacuate the camp, and asserted that the shortfall of electricity was responsible for the deaths of 18 elderly as well as the reason behind 400 pregnant women being admitted to hospital.

The SPGRC vice-president told The News that while there were 38 refugee camps in Dhaka alone, more camps had been set up in various sections of Mirpur, Ehtesham Uddin Khan. Mirpur is divided into 16 sections. Before the Dhaka Fall, the area was dominated by Biharis. Afterwards, the area shrank to just a few kilometres, with eight kilometres falling under the control of locals.

Millat Camp, established in Mirpur Section 11, has 550 rooms for over 5,000 people. It has 14 washrooms each for men and women, and a hand pump that does not fulfil their needs. None of the refugees receive financial support - 75 percent of the men have ordinary jobs, such as driving tri-wheeler cycle rickshaws, working at barber shops, or making handmade garments at home.

There are several camps in the same section, namely Madressa, Football Ground, Irani, Talab, Taltola, Ghusia, Bismilla, ADC, Heed, Al-Falah, Post Office, Society Market, Kashmiri, D-Block, Wapda Building one to four, Rabta, Consult, and Rahmat Camp. However, some camps are lumped together to officially be counted as one camp. There are 50,000 people who reside in Mirpur Section 11, but only one school to cater to their needs. The school is unregistered, and only teaches Arabic, English, and Urdu. Meanwhile, Mirpur Section 10 and 12 have six camps each.

Each SPGRC centre hoists a Pakistani flag throughout the year, and March 23, August 14, and September 6, are all celebrated with great enthusiasm. Special prayers are offered and milads held for the solidarity of Pakistan, and sweets are occasionally distributed amongst children. The stranded Pakistanis have added a red strip to the Pakistani flag, showcasing the sacrifices they still make, long after the separation of the country. The only thing they seem to have in common with Bangladeshis is their love for cricket. The refugees always support Pakistani sports teams, especially cricket.

Many refugees still recall the flight to Pakistan on January 10, 1993, which carried 325 Biharis to Watan Colony, Mian Chunu, Pakistan as part of repatriation, but after the lapse of so many years, there have been no serious measures to relocate any of them. The refugees know that life in Pakistan will not be easy, but are convinced they would have at least freedom there.

“Prison must be better than the camps,” say the refugees. Many are convinced that they have been left in these camps to die, and blame the governments of both Bangladesh and Pakistan for not ameliorating their living conditions. “If the process of shifting people from the camp to Pakistan is started again, we would have the opportunity to live a better life,” they claimed.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=152159