An official from the Mizoram Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said that the Chief Minister, during the meeting with the Prime Minister at his residence in New Delhi on Saturday, informed him that the Bangladeshi refugees belong to the Bawm tribal community, one of The Mizo ethnic tribes have taken refuge in Mizoram since November 2022, while many tribes from the same community are still trying to enter Mizoram.
Bangladeshi refugees from the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) fled their villages and sought refuge in Mizoram following an offensive by the Bangladesh Army against the insurgent group Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA).
The KNA has reportedly been fighting for tribal autonomy in CHT, southeastern Bangladesh.
Apart from Bangladeshi refugees, around 36,000 Burmese took refuge in Mizoram in different phases following the military takeover there in February 2021.
Around 10,000 people, including women and children belonging to the Kuki-Zomi tribes, have also taken shelter in Mizoram after ethnic violence broke out in neighboring Manipur in May last year. The Kuki-Zomi-Chin tribes in Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur share ethnic links and cultural and linguistic similarities with the Mizo people.
Most refugees remain in rented accommodation and in the homes of relatives or friends, while others live in relief camps on the other side of the border state, which shares a 510-kilometer-long unfenced border with Myanmar and 318 kilometers with Bangladesh.
The current Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government and the previous Mizo National Front (MNF) government have sought financial assistance from the Center for the relief and shelter of refugees from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur.
The CMO official said the Chief Minister discussed shifting the state headquarters of Assam Rifles from the heart of Aizawl town to the newly allocated camp at Zokhawthar, which is about 10 kilometers from the state capital.
Bangladeshi refugees from the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) fled their villages and sought refuge in Mizoram following an offensive by the Bangladesh Army against the insurgent group Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA).
The KNA has reportedly been fighting for tribal autonomy in CHT, southeastern Bangladesh.
Apart from Bangladeshi refugees, around 36,000 Burmese took refuge in Mizoram in different phases following the military takeover there in February 2021.
Around 10,000 people, including women and children belonging to the Kuki-Zomi tribes, have also taken shelter in Mizoram after ethnic violence broke out in neighboring Manipur in May last year. The Kuki-Zomi-Chin tribes in Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur share ethnic links and cultural and linguistic similarities with the Mizo people.
Most refugees remain in rented accommodation and in the homes of relatives or friends, while others live in relief camps on the other side of the border state, which shares a 510-kilometer-long unfenced border with Myanmar and 318 kilometers with Bangladesh.
The current Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government and the previous Mizo National Front (MNF) government have sought financial assistance from the Center for the relief and shelter of refugees from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur.
The CMO official said the Chief Minister discussed shifting the state headquarters of Assam Rifles from the heart of Aizawl town to the newly allocated camp at Zokhawthar, which is about 10 kilometers from the state capital.
