Local residents of Shatkhira have joined with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)’s patrol in different borders of Shatkhira to prevent the pushback of Rohingya from India. Some officials of BGB and chairmen of the Shatkhira Border area unions have confirmed this information.
Within a month, incidents of pushback and counter-pushback of Rohingyas have been done by separate border guards of Bangladesh and India. Through different borders of Sahtkhira, Indian Border Guard authority, BSF has pushed back a group of 57 Rohingyas. Among them, there were 25 children, 19 women and 13 male Rohingyas.
UP chairman Monirul of Sonabariya, Kalaroa said that Locals are making the group of 8 to 10 members and monitoring the areas where BGB members are not available. According to his information, Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has sent Rohingyas to Bangladesh on the Kalaroa Hijaldi border.
He told the Bangla Tribune, ‘We have learned that Rohingyas have been gathered in various places in West Bengal. We fear that the law enforcement agencies of India will be able to send them back when they will get the opportunity. We are also keeping an eye on the border along with the BGB so that they cannot pushback Rohingyas through our border.’
SM Afzal Hossain, UP chairman of the Keragachi Union and Monirul Islam of Chandpur Union said to the Bangla Tribune that they are also patrolling with BGB members as they have asked us because of they are in shortage of manpower.
Subedar Mosharraf Hossain BOP Commander of Padma Branch of Satkhira 38 BGB has confirmed the news. He said, ‘We have asked the local chairmen for help because we have a shortage of manpower. So the residents are taking parts in patrolling with us.'
Subedar Mosharraf Hossain said that they have got an order from the high officials of the government to increase surveillance in the border area as the Indian border guard had pushed back some Rohingyas.
Subedar Omar Faruk, BOP of Hijaldi Border of Satkhira 38 BGB, gave the same information. He said, ‘BSF is pushing Rohingyas back to Bangladesh through the borders. For this reason, we are taking help from the locals to increase the patrolling in the border areas.’
Lt. Colonel Md. Arman Hossain, head of Satkhira 38 BGB told that the surveillance in the Border areas has been increased by the combined effort of BGB and local residents.