Teknaf, Bangladesh: The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) detained and pushed back 45 Burmese nationals who are Rohingya ethnic Muslim to Burma today from Teknaf, according to BDR sources.

Yesterday, the Rohingya ethnic community of Burma were arrested from Naungtaung Para of Teknaf while they were crossing Naff River and entered Bangladesh illegally at night, said the source.

Major Helal Mohammed Khan of Teknaf 42 BDR Battalion said the Rohingyas were arrested during a section of BDR personnel patrolled at border area of Naungtaung Para at night on yesterday, said a local from Naungtaung Para.

The arrested Rohingya are 18 male, 8 female and 19 children.

Earlier, more than 200 Rohingyas were arrested while intruding into Bangladesh through different points of the border. Later, they were pushed back to Burma by BDR, according to sources.

“We come to Bangladesh to take shelter to avoid persecution by Burmese military authorities and we are not allowed to go from one village to another in Arakan."