31 Rohingya, including 16 children, stranded on Indo-Bangla border in Tripura

As many as 31 Rohingya, including 16 children, were stranded between the border fence and the International Border with Bangladesh in Tripura for the last 48 hours, the Border Security Force officials said on Sunday.

According to international law, there is a mandatory 150 metres distance between the border fence and the international border.

The Border Guards of Bangladesh detained the group of Rohingya on January 18 and alleged that the BSF has been pushing them back to their country, an allegation the latter has denied. According to the BSF officials the group was pushed to the Indian side of the international border by the BGB under the Rayermura Border Outpost of the BSF, about 30 km from Agartala. The Bangladesh side of the border is unfenced.

“They have been living in the open. We have provided them blankets, tarpaulin sheets, food and water on humanitarian grounds,” said CL Belwa, DIG, BSF adding that the Rohingya have a card issued by the UNHCR.

The BSF in a statement alleged that the BGB brought the group of Rohingya from the Brahamanbari in Bangladesh and falsely showed them to have been detained on the border fence.

Belwa said the matter remains unresolved even after two rounds of flag meetings with the BGB including one on Sunday. According to BSF, the BGB did not turn up to join the BSF’s proposal of a joint survey of the area on Saturday.

“We have informed the authorities in New Delhi and further action will be taken as per their directions since the BGB has refused to take them,” Belwa said.