Stranded Rohingyas will not be pushed to Bangladesh: India

NEW DELHI: The India government assured Bangladesh on Tuesday that 31 Rohingyas stranded along the Indo-Bangla border would not be pushed back into Bangladesh. At the same time, the Government also started talking to Myanmar government about their possible repatriation.

Earlier on Tuesday, the BSF handed over the 31 Rohingya Muslims to the Tripura police, ending a standoff with its counterpart, the BGB, on the issue, officials said.

Answering a question on this issue, the spokesperson of the Ministry of external affairs said, "The Government is aware of media reports of alleged movement into Bangladesh by some such persons. The government is not a party to such movements. We will work with our neighbours to handle such matters through mutual consultation."

The Ministry of External affairs also admitted the presence of 31 persons originally from Rakhine province of Myanmar currently at the zero lines on the India-Bangladesh border. The spokesperson claims that their identity and other documentation are being verified, necessary shelter and food and other materials are being supplied to them.

Border guarding force signed papers and handed over the 31 Rohingyas to the staff of the Amtoli police station in West Tripura district police at 11 am. The decision was taken after the Border Security Force headquarters here obtained approval from the Home Ministry.

The Rohingya Muslims were stuck in no man's land, beyond the barbed wire fence along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura since Friday last. The situation had led to a blame game between the BSF and its counterpart -- Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) -- with the two sides accusing each other of pushing them into their territories.