More Rohingyas pushed back: BGB

Over 86 boats carrying Rohingyas were pushed back by Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) since November 21, official sources of the service said.

Thousands of Rohingya Muslims, a minority group in Rakhine state of Myanmar, was forced to flee from motherland after being persecuted by military force and Buddhists of the country.

Two boats carrying at least 20 Rohingyas were stopped by BGB while those were trying to enter Bangladeshi waters through the Jadimura point on the Naf River on Saturday, Cox’s Bazar-based BGB 2 Battalion’s deputy chief Major Abu Rasel Siddiqui said.

The Myanmar army has declared the Muslim Rohingya-majority northern Rakhine as an “operations zone”, where it claims to be battling Islamist insurgents.

Journalists have been prevented from visiting the area.

The military crackdown began after nine border police personnel were killed in attacks by ‘insurgents’ at three outposts on Oct 9.

Authorities have confirmed 86 deaths and said that 69 of them were suspected militants. Rights groups claim the number of deaths is much higher.

Myanmar has also rebuffed rights groups’ claims of rape, arson and killing of civilians.