Bangladesh Coastguard pushes back 18 Rohingya to Burma

Teknaf, Bangladesh: Bangladesh Coastguard pushed back 18 Rohingya (sea voyager) who were trying to go to Malaysia by sea route from Shapuri Dip yesterday, said a local from Shapuri Dip.

On being tipped off, a team of Coast Guard raided the area and arrested 18 Rohingya while gathering at the Shapuri Dip and tried to go to Malaysia by sea route yesterday at around 4 am.

Later pushed back them to Burma after interrogations, according to security official.

The arrestees are from different areas of Arakan state, Burma, according to sources.

Earlier, police arrested 15 Malaysia sea voyagers from the same area on January 7 at night. Later, they were sent to Cox’s Bazar jail after being filed a case against them.

An elder from Maungdaw said that Rohingya people are going to Malaysia by deadly sea route because of political persecutions and human rights abuses in their areas.

“We, Rohingya, hope to get some rights from Burmese authorities after the 2010 elections, including in freedom of movement, marriage permission, medical facilities, education, and the equal rights same as other ethnic groups,” the elder said.

The elder also said that in Arakan State, harassment and human rights abuses are going on unabated till now even the President Thein Sein’s civilian-led government rules the country.