BSF pushes 5 Rohingyas through Kurigram border

Members of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday pushed five Rohingyas registered with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in India into Bangladesh through Kurigram border.

The five Rohingyas are members of the same family and had been living in Matia Refugee Camp in Assam, India, said a press release.

A patrol team of BGB-22 battalion held them from Notunhat Bazar area on the Bhawalkuri border in Charbhurungamari Union of Kurigram district around 6:00 AM on May 7, the release said.

The detainees are Mohammadullah, 44, his wife Romana Begum, 35, and their children Tahmina Akhtar, 20, Redowan, 15 and Tasmina Akhtar, 13. The entire family is originally from the Kwayingdong area of Buthidaung District in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

BGB recovered five UNHCR registration cards issued in New Delhi from the family. During preliminary interrogation the detainees told BGB that they fled Myanmar to India two years ago and took shelter in Matia camp in Assam. Recently, some unknown persons picked them up in a car, drove a long distance, blindfolded them, dropped them off at an unknown place and asked them to walk without asking any questions, it said.

They walked all night and reached the Bangladesh border in the early hours on May 7, where the BGBdetained them.


The detained Rohingyas claimed that the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) forcibly pushed them into Bangladesh, said BGB, adding that they are currently investigating the matter and coordinating with the higher authorities in this regard.

Sonahat Alpha Company Commander Subedar Md. Ayub Hossain said that following the incident the BGB personnel have been put on high alert along the border.