Naikonchari, Bangladesh: Bangladeshi police from Lama police station sent to jail five Burmese nationals on false allegations, said a local on condition of anonymity.

On being tipped off, the police raided and arrested 14 Burmese nationals from various places along the Bangladesh border on September 26.

A villager told Kaladan Press, among the arrested 14, police accused, filed cases against five and sent them to jail on false allegations that they live in Bangladesh illegally.

The five people, who were sent to jail, are Younus (42), Abdu Jalil (22), Abu Shama (32), Md. Younus (30), Abdullah (25).

The other nine people were handed over to Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) of Naikonchari to be pushed back to Burma.

The people, who were pushed back to Burma, are Nur Alam (36), Md. Salim (16), Abu Siddek (20), Kabir Ahamed (20), Kala Meah (50), Abdur Rashid (20), Md. Sayed (40), and Md. Akbar. They all are from Maugdaw-Buthidaung Township.

They crossed the Burma-Bangladesh border because to evade persecution by the military junta such as forced labour, religious persecution, restriction in movement, arbitrary arrest, extortion and torture, said a village elder on condition of anonymity.