India pushes 21 Rohingya into Bangladesh through Sherpur border

India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has reportedly pushed 21 Rohingya into Bangladesh through the Nakugaon border in Sherpur’s Nalitabari Upazila.

Lt Col Mehedi Hasan, commander of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion 39 in Mymensingh, said the group was pushed in on Thursday night through main pillar 1,116 along the border.

A BGB patrol team detained the group and temporarily housed them at a local government primary school. The group consists of five men, five women, and 11 children from six families, according to the BGB.

They reportedly fled the Balukhali Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar's Ukhiya and travelled to India’s Jammu and Kashmir, where they worked as hotel and domestic labourers. A month ago, Indian police arrested them for residing illegally in the country and later handed them over to the BSF, who then pushed them into Bangladesh.

Lt Col Mehedi said authorities are currently verifying their identities and determining the next course of action.

Earlier, on Jul 11, the BSF had similarly pushed in 10 Rohingya, including children, through the Nalitabari's Panihata border.