9 Rohingyas turned away from Teknaf

Amid tension in Myanmar's Rakhine state along the Bandarban and Cox's Bazar border, nine Rohingyas tried to enter Bangladesh and were turned back yesterday morning.

Border Guard Bangladesh sent them back to Myanmar near the Shahporir Dwip jetty around 10:00am, said Lt Col Mohiuddin Ahmed, commanding officer of BGB-2 Battalion in Teknaf, adding that the Myanmar nationals were on a small boat.

For the last three days, no gunfire or explosions have been heard across the border, providing some relief to the people of the area.

Rohingya leaders living in refugee camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf are fearing that a possible retaliation by Myanmar forces to regain territories in Rakhine may force more Rohingyas to try to enter Bangladesh.

Despite a lull in fighting across the border over the last three days, they feared that fighting in Rakhine may intensify soon.

Besides yesterday's pushback, BGB and Coast Guard intercepted 372 Rohingyas attempting to cross the Naf river on small boats this month.

Lt Tahsin Rahman, media officer of Coast Guard Chattogram East Zone (Teknaf), said their patrol has been strengthened in the Naf to prevent Rohingya infiltration.

Early this month, fierce clashes broke out between the Myanmar troops and the Arakan Army across the border from Tumbru area of Bandarban's Naikhongchhari upazila.

The fighting forced 330 members of the Myanmar junta forces to flee to Bangladesh. They were handed over to the Myanmar authorities on February 15.

Later, the fighting moved to the border area of Myanmar opposite to Shahporir Dwip in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar.

Fear gripped the people there as the laud sounds of explosions came from the other side of the border across the Naf river.

However, no sound of explosions was heard for the last three days.

Rohingya leaders there, citing information from various sources, said the AA has taken control of most of the border posts in Rakhine after defeating the troops.

They said the gains by the rebels have resulted in a pause in fighting along the Naikhongchhari border in Bandarban and Ukhiya and Teknaf of Cox's Bazar.

During the fighting between the Myanmar government troops and Arakan Army, one Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man were killed after a stray mortar shell landed in Ghumdhum under Naikhongchhari upazila early this month.