108 Rohingyas detained, BGB man shot

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members detained 108 Rohingyas by intercepting three vehicles on Cox's Bazar-Teknaf highway in Ukhiya upazila during a drive today.

The detained Rohingyas were reportedly trying to travel to Cox's Bazar after their illegal infiltration into Bangladesh through the Bangladesh-Myanmar land-border in the upazila.

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A clash also broke out between the border guards and the members of the human trafficking cartel during the interception, leaving a BGB member bullet-injured.

The injured was identified as Subedar Fazlul Haque of BGB border outpost at Panbazar in Ukhiya. He was airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka by a helicopter.

The BGB members also arrested a local BNP leader during the clash.

The arrestee was identified as Shah Alamgir, general secretary of BNP's word No. 1 unit of Palankhali union parishad in the upazila.

Lt Col Saiful Islam Khan, commanding officer of BGB's Battalion-17, told UNB that on secret information that some Rohingyas were travelling from Teknaf to Cox's Bazar by six-seven vehicles - locally known as 'Chander Gari' - a team of BGB Panbazar border outpost, led by Subedar Fazlul Haque, went on a patrol on Cox's Bazar-Teknaf highway.

Around 10:00am, the BGB men intercepted three vehicles on the highway and picked up 108 Rohingyas from the vehicles.

Sensing presence of the border force, the remaining three-four vehicles made a U-turn and fled the scene while the local cohorts of the human trafficking cartel, allegedly led by Palankhali union parishad chairman and local BNP leader Gafur Uddin, obstructed the BGB men by throwing brick chips and firing gunshots from a distance.

Lt Col Saiful said the BGB members chased the attackers and arrested local BNP leader Shah Alamgir from the spot.

The detained Rohingyas were sent to Gungdhung border outpost of BGB and will gradually be pushed back to Myanmar, he added.

BGB is preparing to file a case at Ukhiya Police Station against Palankhali UP Chairman Gafur Uddin in this connection.