Bandarban, Bangladesh: More than 51 Arakanese Rohingya people were arrested by Bangladeshi Police within the last two days from different areas of Badarban district, according to a source from Bandarban, who declined to be named.
Among those arrested some were unregistered refugees of Kutupalong camp, which is situated near the UNHCR officialrefugee camp. Some others, who had been taking shelter in the border areas of Bandarban, Alikadam, Naiykonchuri ofChittagong Hill Tracts, were also arrested.
The Bangladeshi police arrested 44 Arakanese Rohingyas from different areas of Bandarban district. Meanwhile, seven others were arrested from the check-post of Gumdum, said a close friend of one of the arrestees.
A week ago, the refugees had gone to Bandarban district from the unregistered refugee camp to cut bamboo for their survival, said Kamal from the refugee camp.
Some of the refugees have been identified as Noor Alam (18), son of Nurul Islam, Mohamed Yunus (15), son of Amir Amza, Amir (50), son of Lal Meah, Md. Kasim (27), son of Md. Khan, Md. Salam (18), son of Amir Hussain, Fokurul Islam (18), son of Dil Mohamed, Noor Mohamed (28), son of Sultan and Ziabur Rahaman (25), son of Abul Fayas. They all belonged to the unregistered refugee camp of Kutupalong.
They were arrested by the police from the market of Roangshari, under the Bandarban district on October 18. Later, they were brought to Nyaikonchuri and pushed back to Burma, said a local person from the border area.
Two arrested Arakanese Rohingya women, Shamsun Akter and Sakina Begum reportedly said, “It will not be profitable for the government to push us back to Burma. We only came to Bangladesh to take shelter as the persecution of the military junta had become intolerable. If the Bangladeshi government pushes us back, where do we go to?”
A local elder from the border area said that law enforcing agencies had launched a drive to round up Rohingyas, who had escaped from Arakan State and taken shelter in border areas.
A Rohingya person, who is living near the border said, “If we are restricted from movement in Bangladesh, we will face great difficulties to support our family members.”
According to sources from Gumdum, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) sent a letter to the Nasaka to hold a flag meeting on October 21, to discuss the border situation.
