Bandarban, Bangladesh: A Burmese activist belonging to the Democratic Party of Arakan (DPA) was detained by local people in Ruma Upazila in Bandarban district under the Chittagong Hill tract on October 17, said Hamid from Bandarban.
The arrested was identified as Kyaw Ba Maung (35) from the Democratic Party of Arakan.
According to sources, local people caught Kyaw Ba Maung at Banchar Dai indigenous village near Ruma Upazila Sadar and handed him over to the army on October 18.
Local people alleged that Kyaw Ba Maung was involved in kidnapping people for ransom.
Recently, he created pressure on the locals for a huge amount of money to buy firearms for his party (DPA), an elder said from locality.
On October 17, five smugglers transporting six buffaloes in a boat from Burma, following an understanding with Nasaka were arrested by BDR along with a local made gun with two bullets and sent to the nearby BDR camp of Shapuri Dip for further interrogation. Three were Bangladeshis and two Rohingyas living in Bangladesh for 20 years ago. Their boss is Yunus member of the Sapran village of Teknaf union, said a local from Shapuri Dip.
On October 15, the police from Teknaf arrested four Rohingyas who had crossed the Burma-Bangladesh border while trying to enter the Nayapara refugee camp. They were pushed back to Burma on October 17 through the Leda BDR outpost in Teknaf Union. The BDR handed them over to Burma’s border security force (Nasaka). So, people are apprehensive of the fate of the people handed over directly to the Nasaka, said a refugee on condition of anonymity.
Though, the BDR has been guarding border areas, Rohingya people from Arakan State keep infiltrating to Bangladesh, which is a small country and over populated. Continuous infiltration by Rohingyas into Bangladesh creates acute problems. So, a permanent solution is need, said a local leader from Cox’s Bazar.
BDR regularly invites locals including lawmakers, elites, upazila chairmen and members to create awareness about pushing back of Rohingya refugees. “Stern action should be taken against locals, who help refugees come and stay in Bangladesh,” said an aide of the BDR.
