The UN refugee agency has called on Bangladeshi authorities "to continue to allow" into the country people fleeing ongoing violence in Myanmar amid the deteriorating security situation there.

The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) issued the statement on Friday (Feb 8) amid its concern about the humanitarian impact of continuing violence in southern Chin State and Rakhine State in Myanmar
UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic in Geneva said it was aware of reports of escalating violence and a deteriorating security situation in Myanmar's states. "This has reportedly led to internal displacement and a number of new arrivals from Myanmar seeking safety in the Bandarban border region of Bangladesh.
Mahecic said, "The UNHCR is deeply concerned about the humanitarian impact of continuing violence in Myanmar and the potential for both further internal displacement and the outflow of refugees".
“The scale of displacement is very difficult to gauge. We understand from some of the reports that say 200 people have sought shelter”, but “without effective access in Rakhine, and without effective access in other parts, we can’t assess the scope of the current internal displacement as a result of the violence which flared up some time in December last year,” he said.
He added that as part of inter-agency efforts, the UNHCR was ready to support the humanitarian response in the affected areas in Myanmar.
"The UNHCR is grateful to the Government of Bangladesh for its generosity and the leadership it has shown. The UNHCR has also offered its support to the government of Bangladesh to assess and respond to the needs of people who have arrived seeking safety from violence in Myanmar,” Mahecic said.
Bangladesh has given shelter to over 720,000 Rohingyas who have fled ethnic cleansing since August 2017. The figure has taken the number of Myanmar nationals living in Bangladesh to more than 1.1 million.
But their return plan to Myanmar has been postponed as they do not want to go back fearing their safety and security. The UN agencies, including the UNHCR, have been advocating for the safe, voluntary and dignified return to Rakhine State.
During a visit early in the week to the world’s largest refugee camp, Kutupalong camp in Bangladesh, Hollywood superstar and UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie said that it was “deeply upsetting” to meet the families who “have only known persecution and statelessness their whole lives, who speak of being ‘treated like cattle’”.
She also met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in the capital of Dhaka, where she expressed UNHCR’s gratitude to the Government and the people of Bangladesh, for their kindness.