Twenty-two Rohingyas have recently entered Bangladesh through the Teknaf border in Cox’s Bazar and among them, 14 are currently in the custody of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
The group crossed the border on Thursday afternoon and took temporary shelter near the Abu Siddique Market area adjacent to the Teknaf bus station.
The 14 individuals in BGB custody belong to the families of Mohammad Amin and Mostafa Kamal, residents of the Lombabil area in Buthidaung, Myanmar.
The group includes two women, two men and ten children.
According to Mohammad Amin and Mostafa Kamal, the group traveled by boat from Myanmar, reaching the coast near Saint Martin’s Island and eventually landing at the Maheshkhaliapara coast in Teknaf Sadar.
While the boat carried 22 individuals, eight fled to other locations after disembarking.
The remaining group traveled to the Teknaf station area by auto-rickshaw, where they took shelter near a local market.
They were later apprehended by members of an intelligence agency.
An official from the intelligence agency said that BGB was informed following the detention, after which the 14 Rohingyas were placed in BGB custody.
Lieutenant Colonel Md Ashiqur Rahman, commander of BGB Teknaf Battalion-2, confirmed the detention of 14 Rohingyas and said that the process of repatriating them to Myanmar is underway.
Following the escalation of conflict under Myanmar’s junta regime, the Arakan Army seized control of most areas in Rakhine State by December.
Between then and May 1, over 1,80,000 new Rohingyas reportedly entered Bangladesh, according to UNHCR and the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner.
