The Border Security Force on January 22 handed over 31 Rohingya to the Tripura Police, ending a standoff with its counterpart, the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), officials said. The Rohingya were stranded on the India-Bangladesh border since January 18.
Officials said the BSF signed papers and handed over the 31 Rohingya to the staff of the Amtoli police station in West Tripura district at 11 a.m. The decision was taken after the BSF headquarters in New Delhi obtained an approval from the Home Ministry, they said.
The Rohingya were stuck in no-man’s land, beyond the barbed wire fence along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura since January 18. The situation had led to a blame game between the BSF and the BGB, with the two sides accusing each other of pushing them into their territories.
The BSF had been providing “comfortable” temporary accommodation at West Tripura district’s Rayermura, where they were detained, officials had said. Rayermura is located some 15 km from State capital Agartala.
A Rohingya refugee after they were detained while crossing the India-Bangladesh border from Bangladesh, at Rayermura village on the outskirts of Tripura capital Agartala on January 22, 2019. | Photo Credit: AFP
The 31 include six men, nine women and 16 children. They were stuck at ‘Zero Line’, beyond the border fence. The barbed wire fence along the India-Bangladesh border is 300 feet inside the Indian territory.