Bangladesh allegedly destroyed 20 boats ferrying Rohingyas

Bangladesh: Refugees and local witnesses said that the border guards beat and arrested the Rohingya Muslims as they landed at Shah Porir Dwip in Bangladesh, and then smashed about 20 boats that ferried them into the country.

The local commander of Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), Lieutenant Colonel Ariful Islam, denied the allegations, and said the action was to crackdown on human trafficking and the smuggling of methamphetamine, a drug known locally as “ya ba”.

“The boats are trying to carry passengers they are not supposed to,” he reported.

He accused the organisers of the boat journeys of exploiting destitute Rohingyas by charging them for the short trip to Bangladesh. Some passengers told they had paid 10,000 Bangladeshi taka each for the trip, although others said they travelled free.

More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar since Aug 25 .

Some passengers told they saw no drugs being carried, Lieutenant Colonel Islam said border guards had found a large quantity of the drugs in the water on Tuesday night.

“Maybe the carrier had dropped it before disembarking,” he said.