BDR pushes back 12 Rohingyas

Teknaf, Bangladesh (KPN): Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) pushed back 12 Rohingyas including women and children on April 3, at about 3 pm from Teknaf, says our correspondent from Teknaf.

Six men, two women and four children after crossing Naff River reached Teknaf on Sunday at about 2:30 pm. They were pushed back to Burma by the BDR at about 3 pm. They were not allowed to climb the embankment on the Bangladesh side.

According to sources, many Rohingyas are preparing to cross the Burma- Bangladesh border because of increasing persecution against the Rohingya community in Northern Arakan, said a local trader on condition of anonymity.

Rohingyas are forced to work in embankment construction, carrying stones and other material for fencing the Burma-Bangladesh border. They also face arbitrary arrests, torture for extortion. Besides, the army, Nasaka (Burma’s border security force) and police create problems between Rohingya villagers and the authorities to force the Rohingya community to flee them from their homes, the trader added.

After Burma started to fence the Burma-Bangladesh border, the BDR planned to push back Burmese nationals who crossed the Naff River. Earlier, the BDR also pushed back some Rohingyas to Burma. But, now, BDR has decided to push back any Burmese national crossing the border. Security has been tightened on the border.

Recently, the BDR held a meeting in Cox’s Bazaar inviting local upazila chairmen, especially from border areas and asked them to inform BDR, if any Rohingya crosses the Burma-Bangladesh border. They have decided to push back Burmese nationals immediately, according to a BDR official.

May 5, 2009