Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh: Forty eight Burmese prisoners, who were released from Bangladeshi jails were handed over to Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) during a flag meeting between the border forces of the two countries on the bank of the Naf River at about 10:00 am today, according to Teknaf 42 Rifles Battalion Commander Lt Col Mozammel Hossain of the Bangladesh Rifles.
Today, at about 9 am, a 25-member Nasaka team led by Lt. Col Aung Gyi, the Naska Director of Maungdaw Nasaka Headquarters arrived in Teknaf by a vessel for a flag meeting and the Chittagong Sector Commander Md. Habibur Rahaman welcomed them. From the Bangladesh side, Chittagong Sector Commander accompanied by a group of BDR officers participated in the flag meeting.
They discussed border issues like smuggling, especially drug smuggling and other general issues. In the meeting, BDR handed over 48 Burmese released prisoners including 5 –Arakanese Rakhine, 9-Burman and 34- Arakanese Rohingyas to Nasaka.
A Nasaka officer accompanied by a police officer and DGFI officer went to Shapuri Dip by car at around 10 am and returned to Teknaf later.
Today, at around 2 pm, there was a friendship volleyball tournament between Nasaka and BDR at the Teknaf High school football ground. The match has been ended at around 3:00 pm and the BDR won in the match. However, the two teams were prized by the concerned authority. After the valley ball tournament, the Nasaka returned to Burma.
The released prisoners were brought to Nasaka headquarters of Maungdaw Township for interrogations, said a close aide of Nasaka.
Cox's Bazaar jail authorities are facing problems with 636 Arakanese Rohingya prisoners as they are occupying the jail area and local Bangladeshi prisoners do not get sufficient space in the jail. Though the sentence terms of 89 Arakanese Rohingyas of 639 Arakanese Rohingyas have expired several months ago, the jail authorities could not send them back to their country, said the jailer of Cox’s Bazaar jail.
On the other hand, local detainees are facing problems as 547 under trial Arakanese Rohingyas have been accommodated in the district jail. They were arrested on different charges.
Jailer Anwar Hossain said 48 of the 89 Arakanese Rohingyas whose sentences have been served were handed over to Nasaka at Teknaf today morning.
