On Tuesday night, 37 Rohingya individuals were detained by Bangladeshi police as they attempted to enter Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf area by sea. The group, comprised of 21 children, 12 women, and 4 men, is currently being held at the Baharchara Police Investigation Center. They all hail from villages in Myanmar’s Maungdaw Township, including Sikdar Para, Parang Puro, and Ukil Para.
Teknaf Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Gias Uddin confirmed the arrest. According to him, the group crossed the border at Jahazpura beach after local residents spotted them and prevented human traffickers from aiding their passage. Police arrived shortly after and took them into custody.
The Rohingya explained that they fled their homes due to the ongoing conflict between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army (AA). Intense fighting, involving artillery, mortar shelling, and drone strikes, has devastated their homes and businesses. In some areas, homes were set ablaze, forcing them to seek refuge by the Naf River. Local traffickers promised to help them escape to Bangladesh in exchange for large sums of money.
One of the detainees, Fatema Begum, revealed that thousands more Rohingya remain stranded on the banks of the Naf River, waiting for an opportunity to escape the violence and reach safety in Bangladesh.
Amjat Hossain, chairman of Baharchara Union Parishad, stated that the local authorities initially provided food to the detainees. He mentioned that they are expected to be handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), who will likely send them back to Myanmar.
A chairman from one of the Rohingya refugee camp management committees, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the fighting in Myanmar’s Maungdaw Township has caused many Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. Around 20,000 Rohingya have already sought shelter in various camps in Teknaf, while others remain outside the camps, struggling to find safety.
Local leaders and residents, requesting anonymity, have raised concerns about the role of human traffickers in facilitating the illegal entry of Rohingya into Bangladesh. They stressed the need for legal action against these traffickers, warning that without intervention, their activities will only grow more dangerous and uncontrollable.
According to the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), the total number of registered Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s 34 camps in Ukhiya, Teknaf, and Noakhali’s Bhasan Char has now reached 1.25 million. Of these, 800,000 arrived in the aftermath of the August 25, 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar. Despite ongoing discussions, no Rohingya refugees have been repatriated to Myanmar over the past seven years. Many fear that with more refugees entering the country, Bangladesh will struggle to manage the escalating situation.
Muhammad Gias Uddin stated that the necessary steps would be taken under the directives of the executive administration. Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Adnan Chowdhury also confirmed that they are working to send back any Rohingya apprehended while crossing the border through the Naf River.
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