Teknaf: The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) is currently compiling a list of illegal Burmese nationals living in the country's eastern border township to determine their number, said a local source.

The BDR Battalion 42 in Teknaf has undertaken a census of illegal Burmese nationals living in Teknaf Township, opposite Burma's western border town Maungdaw, the source said.

A BDR source said, the border authorities pushed 2,022 Burmese nationals, mostly Rohingya, back to Burma between January and May this year. However, the influx of Burmese nationals continues into Bangladesh despite BDR's efforts to arrest and repatriate them.

Lieutenant Colonel Mozammel Hossain, Commanding Officer of BDR Battalion 42, told this correspondent recently that Burmese from Arakan State have been illegally crossing the Bangladesh border during the last few years, adding that BDR had begun preparing a list of illegal immigrants in Teknaf last week.

He also said that Burmese, living illegally in Teknaf and surrounding areas are involved with gangs, rioting, and grabbing land. The list of names of Burmese living in the area without documentation will be sent to BDR headquarters for further instructions.

Bangladesh authorities believe that many Burmese, mostly Rohingyas, are living illegally in Bangladesh in Chittagong, Bandarban, and Cox's Bazaar Districts. They crossed into Bangladesh through the border with Arakan over the last 20 years.

According to the refugee repatriation committee in Cox's Bazaar, a total of 28,000 out of 250,667 Burmese nationals have been waiting to return to their homeland from Kutupalong and Nayapara refugee camps in Ukiah and Teknaf in Cox's Bazaar since 1992.