TEKNAF: Bangladesh border guards Monday turned back eight boats carrying more than 300 Rohingya Muslims, mostly women and children, fleeing religious violence in Myanmar, a border guard said.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and coastguard patrol teams, which have been ordered to prevent an influx of refugees, intercepted the boats on the Naf river that separates the two nations, BGB Major Shafiqur Rahman said.
"There were more than 300 Rohingya in the boats which are coming from the Myanmar city of Akyab (Sittwe). They were carrying mainly Rohingya women and children, many of whom were crying and looked extremely anxious," he told AFP.
"All eight boats have been pushed back to Myanmar territory," he added.
Akyab is the former name of Sittwe, the capital of Myanmar's western Rakhine state where sectarian violence flared last week, leaving at least 17 people dead and prompting the authorities to declare a state of emergency.
An AFP photographer at Teknaf in Bangladesh, near the border with Myanmar, saw smoke billowing from houses believed to be burnt in villages during the sectarian violence.
BGB men handed out water and food to the Rohingyas on the boats before they were turned back, Rahman told AFP.
Security has been stepped up along Bangladesh's 200-kilometre border with Myanmar to stem the influx of Rohingya refugees.
"We have been asked not to allow any illegal entry of Rohingya in Bangladesh. The authorities are concerned that their could be large-scale Rohingya entry from Myanmar," coastguard officer Badruddoza, who uses one name, told AFP.
Reinforcements have been sent to intensify patrols on the Naf river and the islands close to the Myanmar border. "We have also enhanced vigilance during night time," he added.
Bangladeshi officials estimate that a total of 300,000 Rohingya people live in the country, with only about a tenth of them in two official refugee camps in southern Cox's Bazaar.
Two injured Rohingya, including one who was hit by a bullet, entered Bangladesh illegally Saturday and were arrested, Rahman said.
Rohingya are stateless people described by the United Nations as one of the world's most persecuted minorities.
COMMENTS (10)
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@Ahmed: Please inform what percentage of society in Pakistan, in your opinion, is humane?
@Ahmed: "Didn’t you hear we took in 4 Million Afghans during your crusade against Soviets?"
Dude, I was being sarcastic. Talking about crusade against soviets, I seriously doubt if India was a part of that crusade. Hahaha. We were very happy getting soft loans from the soviet union until the inevitable end came like it comes to all authoritarian systems whether it's based on religious fanaticism or extreme political ideology like communism.
I wish Pakistan had done the same with the Afghans in 1980's. Most of this current mess wouldn't exist.
Dear Ahmed, You shouldn't blame to Myanmar by nothing know about Rohingya. Myanmar has already convinced Rohingya to civilize since 1990, step by step ruling immigration law. Right now their house are burnt by themselves because they also burnt Ethnic people house. If Myanmar has no Dhamma as you said, will kill them on the spot. So I like to suggest you that you want to write a comment about Rohigya, please study first and stand on the true thinking.
@Pollack: Didn't you hear we took in 4 Million Afghans during your crusade against Soviets?
Myanmar has been an autocratic society for so long they've forgotten what it is to be human. Rohingya have been living there for generations and now their houses are being burnt? Is this the way of Dharma?
Horrible! Can't some arrangements be made to airlift them to Pakistan? I just can't bear the look of agony on their faces! :(
Many of these people could be recruited by terror outfits and therefore Bangladesh must be very careful before allowing them in the country.
@BlackJack: Yeah we can see young Zawahiri in the picture. Really a baseless comment. Everybody knows how accessible Myanmar is and here you are blaming whole community there to be Al Qaeda supporter.
If a state accepts refugees it should be on humanitarian grounds and not because they are muslims. Further, while there may be no connection between these unfortunate people and the al-Qaeda, the Rohingya have been traditionally known to practice an extremely rigid form of Islam and have allowed al-Qaeda to set up operations in their villages in Arakan. Bangladesh has managed to avoid future trouble through some harsh action now.