Pakistani refugees clash with Bangladesh police

Hundreds of Pak refugees clamouring to be repatriated clashed with police and up to 30 people were injured and 20 detained.

Published on: Feb 2, 2006, 17:44:00 IST

None | By Anonymous, Dhaka

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Hundreds of Pakistani refugees clamouring to be repatriated clashed with police in the Bangladesh capital on Thursday.

Up to 30 people were injured and 20 detained.

Witnesses said the violence erupted when the refugees -- known as Biharis as their forefathers migrated to former East Pakistan from India's Bihar state -- tried to march to the Pakistan embassy.

They wanted to hand over a memorandum demanding their repatriation to Pakistan, while other demands included improved food and water supplies to the refugee camps -- including the biggest one in Dhaka's Mohammadpur area which is home to more than 20,000.

Witnesses said police used batons and tear gas to disperse the protesters, who pushed through barbed wire barricades trying to march towards the embassy.

Pakistan embassy officials were not available for comments.

Bangladesh has been home to some 300,000 refugees since 1971 when East Pakistan split from the West to become Bangladesh.

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