Bandarban, Bangladesh: Police officers from Lama Police Station arrested eighteen Rohingya on March 1 for not being able to produce the required documents of Bangladesh, said a local.

“They had been living in the local area for a long time without the knowledge of the Bangladeshi authorities.”

The Rohingya fled to Bangladesh from Arakan State because of restrictions and abuses from Burmese authorities, including movement restrictions, marriage restrictions, and forced labor, according to a local from Lama.

After receiving the tip, Sub-Inspector Mujibur Rahaman and other officers of the Lama Police Station went to locality and arrested the Burmese nationals in a raid.

Following the arrest, the 18 men were taken to a police camp for further investigation.

The Officer In-Charge Mohamed Hussain said that the arrested were sent to Naikonchari Border Guard of Bangladesh, or BGB Battalion No. 15, to force them back to Burma yesterday because they were illegal.

A local trader from Bandarban said that many Rohingya have been pushed back to Burma by Bangladeshi authorities from the locality.