Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) is on red alert after pushing back five Rohingya families to Burma, who crossed the Burma-Bangladesh border on September 23 night after they were ousted from their homes by Burma’s Border security force, or Nasaka, said a village elder from Taungbro of Burma on condition of anonymity.
On September 23, the Nasaka Commander Major Kyi Hlaing of Nasaka area No.3 of Maungdaw Township, one of the notorious Nasaka Commanders threw out about 70 to 80 Rohingya families from their homes that are outside the Burma-Bangladesh fence construction. The Nasaka authority has confiscated all the lands which are outside the fence.

The Nasaka authorities did not announce any new place to resettle the uprooted families and giving compensation. All the uprooted families are ready to cross the Burma-Bangladesh border; however, five of the families had crossed the border. But, other families are taking temporary shelter in their relatives and friends houses.  Because of the rains the Rohingya families have been facing a lot of trouble, said a local trader requesting anonymity. 

So the BDR is on red alert at the border, to foil influx of Rohingya families to Bangladesh.

Yesterday, the Commanding Officer (CO) of Cox’s Bazar BDR 17-battalion visited the Bangladesh-Burma border to oversee the situation and to give necessary instructions and advice to  the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), said a local elder from Bangladesh border.

On September 23, Deputy Director Lt. Col Aung Gyi of Kawarbill Nasaka Headquarters of Maungdaw Township accompanied by engineer of fence construction on Burma-Bangladesh border visited Taungbro Sub-Town of Maungdaw Township to oversee the situation and give direction to the concerned authorities, said an aide of Nasaka from Maungdaw Town.

Rohingya people have to provide forced labour, some arable lands were confiscated and some shrimp projects were also destroyed and confiscated by the authorities, due to erection of barbed wire fences on the Burma-Bangladesh border, said a farmer from Maungdaw town.

Besides, everyday, about 40 army personnel have been building a road on the Burma- Bangladesh border that is connected to pillar No. 37 to Medie Nasaka camp of Taungbro Sub-town. The road is only 100 feet away from Bangladesh border. The soldiers have been   living at the Medie Nasaka camp as a reserve force. They are not using forced labour of villagers, but are themselves secretly making this road, said a local villager.