Bangladesh denies refuge to Myanmar Muslim refugees

Dhaka—Bangladesh refused three big boats carrying about 1,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar as they approached land Tuesday, after 500 refugees were turned back in recent days, officials said. “They have been chased away,” police official Jahangir Alam said by phone on Saint Martins Island, a Bay of Bengal isle the boats approached. “We are keeping our eyes open so that nobody can enter Bangladesh illegally.” Afterward, administrators arranged announcements by loudspeakers for islanders to be vigilant to prevent Rohingya Muslims from entering Bangladesh, said Nurul Amin, a local government official in the island. Bangladesh said earlier it sent back 11 boats over the past three days packed with about 500 Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar. Local authorities in Bangladesh’s border districts have been asked to remain alert and increase vigilance.A Foreign Ministry statement said the neighboring countries are maintaining close contacts to ensure that developments in Myanmar’s Rakhine state do not have any “transboundary spillover”.—AP