New tactics of earning promotion and money by BGB (Border Guard of Bangladesh) launch at Nayapara refugee camp

RB News

April 18, 2014

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh -- A group of BGB (Bangladesh Border Guard) accompanied by some local collaborators, led by Nur Kabir of Nayapara BGB camp, went to a refugee identified as Sultan Ahammed, MRC#Z-3845, Block-C, Shed#863, Room# 5, Nayapara camp, on 16 April 2014 at 2.00 am and said to him, “We are police from Teknaf police station, open the door”. Then he told them that he could not open the door without the permission of the Camp in Charge of the camp. The BGB personals said to him, “No permission of CiC is needed, open the door at once”. But Sultan Ahammed refused to open the door again and again because he and his neighbors saw that the four persons wearing masks with the BGB were trying to put some things into his house through the hole of bath room fence.

At 3.00 am the Block Committee members came to the scene after hearing the Sultan’s calls, he opened the door and the BGB personal entered the house and ran to the bath room straight and shouted, “we have found, we have found!” But Sultan fled away fearing the arrest of BGB with the illegal tablets and Marijuana planted into the house by the local collaborators of BGB. Later the same day, when the Camp in Charge heard about the incident, he investigated into the matter from the people nearby the spot who saw the mask wearing men putting the illegal things into the house through bath room fence hole, Sultan was proved to be the innocent and the illegal tablets and Marijuana were put into the house by BGB’s collaborators. The Camp in Charge warned the BGB not do such inhuman things again. The BGB personals also called some people nearby Sultan’s house, took their signatures on and statements that Sultan was an honest and innocent person as they failed to make the conspiracy against him. 

Reportedly there was also a conflict between Sultan and his neighbor, Khotiza. According to a reliable source, Khotiza contracted with BGB in exchange of money to put illegal things into Sultan’s house to send him to jail. So BGB tried to conspire against him. If BGB can be successful in this kind of activity, they have two kinds of benefit, such as; they can be promoted to higher ranks and they get money from the person with whom they contract.

On the other hand, on 12 April 2014 at deep night, the same BGB personals from the same camp along with a local man wearing mask went to a refugee’s house, identified as Abdul Hafes of Block-E, Shed# 917, room# 03, and stormed into the house and shouted, “We found, we have found, these arms!” The guns were taken by the man who had accompanied the BGB. It was also contracted with someone displeased with Abdul Hafes in exchange for money, but Abdul Hafes managed to flee. 

The BGB personnel are appointed by the government to ensure security of the people, but on the contrary they are engaged in conspiracy against innocent people for their promotions and large profits for cooperation with dishonest people of the village. 

It was informed to the field level protection assistant of UNHCR, Mr Osman and Istiak, but they did not respond to the complaint. Since there is no strong protection from UNHCR, various kinds of conspiracies and harassment are going against the innocent refugees by BGB. The foreign protection officer appointed for Bangladesh refugee camp has two protection assistants, Mr Istiak and Osman, who seemingly refuse to provide protection to the refugees. It was informed to both of them by the Camp Management Committee but they these complaints were also ignored by them. No protection from UNHCR, No protection from UNHCR, No protection from UNHCR. 

As a result the innocent and distressed refugees of Nayapara camp urge the international communities to look into the matter and provide protection to the refugees from the harassment of BGB as soon as possible.