Border Guard Bangladesh in Cox's Bazar district has pushed back at least 95 Rohingya Muslims who fled the country in the face of ongoing crackdown in Rakhain state by Myanmar troops
Photo credit: Dhaka Tribune
Teknaf-2 BGB Commander Abuzar Al-Zahid said they prevented the trespassing of around 90 Rohingyas boarded in six boats in the Naf river at midnight.
Earlier, five Rohingyas including two children were pushed back from Ghundhum border of Ukhia in Teknaf upazila around 7:30 am, Cox’s Bazar-34 BGB Commander Imran Ullah Sarkar said.
He also said they have developed a full-proof security on the border to prevent the Rohingya influx and the move has decreased the trespassing remarkably.
Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims tried to cross into Bangladesh illegally after Myanmar troops launched a crackdown in the Rakhine state in response to attacks on three border posts on Oct 9 that killed nine police officers.
Bangladesh has stepped up security along its border with Myanmar to prevent influx of Rohingyas fleeing violence in the Rakhine state that has killed at least 86 people and displaced 30,000 others.
Myanmar and the military have denied accusations by Rohingyas and rights groups of raping women, torching houses and killing civilians during their operations.
Myanmar does not recognise the Rohingyas as its citizens and dubs them ‘Bangali’. Rohingyas, who managed to land in Bangladesh, have taken shelter at refugee camps and other places in Cox’s Bazar.
Bangladesh has so far pushed back thousands of Rohingyas.
The latest violence is the most serious since the 2012 communal clashes. Many have criticised Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi for her silence although her party is in power.
(This article first published on Dhaka Tribune is being republished with permission).