81 Rohingyas held at Bandarban Border for intrusion
NEWS DESK
Law enforcers have detained 81 Rohingya individuals while attempting to trespass into Bangladesh through Alikadam-Myanmar border in Bandarban.
The detentions took place on Monday morning in various areas of Kurukpata union’s Poa Muhuri border. Among the detained, there are 31 children and 50 adult men and women.
Local sources reported that due to escalating conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, security measures have been tightened along the Naikhongchhari border to prevent illegal crossings. Despite these efforts, human trafficking rings have been facilitating the movement of Rohingyas through the remote Kurukpata border in exchange for large sums of money.
Acting on a tip-off, security forces conducted operations in several hill regions, capturing the migrants while their traffickers remained elusive.
A Rohingya man named Md. Shafi Ullah disclosed that traffickers had charged them Tk 8, 00,000 and guided them through various border points under cover of darkness. He explained that after the payment, the traffickers arranged transportation from a bus terminal to the Ukhiya refugee camp but the group was apprehended en route.
Alikadam Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Mirza Zahid Uddin confirmed the detention, stating, “The 81 Rohingyas have been handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) for pushback procedures.”
Alikadam Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rupayan Dev added, “These Rohingya individuals were apprehended in three separate operations this morning. The process of repatriating them to Myanmar is ongoing, and they have been transferred to BGB for this purpose.”
