CHITTAGONG, June 18 (Agencies): After a few days' pause, boat-fuls of Rohingya refugees escaping communal violence in Myanmar are trying to intrude into Bangladesh once again through the Teknaf border.
The members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Monday detained 137 Rohingyas on charge of infiltrating into the country.
Besides, police arrested seven leaders and activists of Islami Oikya Jote for campaigning in favour of Rohingya infiltration.
Commanding Officer of 42nd BGB Battalion Lt Col Zahid Hasan said some 34 Rohingyas were detained at different points of Teknaf in the morning. Besides, 103 more Rohingyas were detained at Shahporir Dwip, Jaliapara, Naitongpara and Sabrong areas from 10 am to 1 pm.
"The Rohingyas in five boats infiltrated into Bangladesh crossing the river Naaf. Of the detained Rohingyas, 34 were pushed back to their country in the morning. The remaining 103 detainees now in BGB custody are being provided with necessary foods and medicines," the BGB commanding officer said adding that they would be pushed back to Myanmar in the evening.
Local police arrested seven persons on charge of making provocative campaign in favour of Rohingya infiltrators into
Bangladesh. All the detainees are leaders and activists of Islami Oikya Jote. They are Mufti Enamul Huq, Ahmadul Kobir, Habib Abdul Huq, Afsar Uddin Chowdhury, Hafez Abul Manzur, Kazi Ershad Ullah and Abu Bakar Siddique.
Officer-in-Charge of Cox's Bazar police station Kamrul Islam said that the detainees had been issuing provocative statements in favour of Rohingya infiltration in Bangladesh. He said police detained them in a raid at a local hotel, where they were holding a meeting.
Communal riot had broken out in the western state of Rakhaine, near the border with Bangladesh, where local Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas clashed recently. Hundreds of Rohingya refugees started to cross the border at Teknaf for taking shelter in the neighbouring Bangladesh.
A few thousand refugees were detained and turned back by BGB until last week.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has requested Bangladesh for opening its border to Rohingyas fleeing sectarian clash.
Bangladesh, already burdened with 500,000 illegal Rohingyas who intruded over the last two decades, refused to respond to the UNHCR call.
The government heightened border vigilance to prevent Rohingyas from entering in, bringing trade through the Teknaf land port to an abrupt halt.
On Sunday, a fishing boat from Myanmar reached the port, apparently marking a resumption in business activities.
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