Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has detained 47 people while entering Bangladesh illegally through the Thanchi border in Bandarban in the wake of the ongoing armed conflict within Myanmar. The detainees included women, men and eleven children.
According to local sources, the men, who came from several villages in the Paletwa area of Myanmar’s Chin state, crossed the Bangladesh-Myanmar border late on Thursday night. Later on Friday afternoon, they took shelter in different houses of Haiko Khumi Para in the 5th ward of the remote Remakri union of Thanchi upazila.
On information, a small Madhu BOP patrol team of 38 BGB battalion under the Balipara zone conducted a drive and detained them. Habildar Mizanur Rahman led the drive.
Locals claim that many families of the Khumi community are suffering from insecurity due to the ongoing conflict between government forces, the Arakan Army, the ARSA (ARSA) and the RSO in Myanmar’s border areas. Some families have crossed the border into Bangladesh for fear of the safety of their lives and resources.
BGB sources said the identities of the detainees, the cause of citizenship and infiltration are being verified. At the end of the process, necessary measures will be taken in accordance with international border policies and existing laws. They are also considering sending them back to Myanmar.
In this regard, Thanchi police station officer-in-charge Kanan Sarkar said no official information has been received yet about the 47 people. Necessary legal action will be taken if BGB transfers them to their police station.
The conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine and China states has long been going on. In the past, people from Khumi, Kheang, Bom and Rakhine communities have tried to enter Bangladesh for security reasons. The incident of 203 people from Myanmar’s Buddhist community in Nomans Land on the Chaikhang border in Ruma upazila of Bandarban in 2019 sparked widespread discussion.
The new infiltration has raised concerns in the border areas and security has been tightened.