Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sent back five boats carrying Rohingya Muslims who were trying to enter into Bangladesh territory from Myanmanr through the Naf River in Cox's Bazar until early on Wednesday.

The BGB members pushed back the Rohingya boat people from three border points in River Naf at Teknaf upazila in Cox’s bazar until early hours of Wednesday starting on Tuesday night.

BGB claimed there were around 12 Rohingyas in each boat.

Teknaf BGB 2 Battalion Commanding Officer Abu Jar Al Jahid said BGB members were patrolling the border area to restrain the Rohingya trespassers.

However, Cox’s Bazar BGB 34 Battalion Commanding Officer Lietenant Colonel Imran Ullah Sarker said four Rohingyas were held and sent back to Myanmanr while they were entering into Bangladesh through Ukhiya border in Cox’s Bazar in the early hours of Wednesday.

Cox’s Bazar BGB 34 Battalion Commanding Officer (CO) Lieutenant Colonel Imran Ullah Sarker said the Rohingya Muslims are trying to intrude into Bangladesh via River Bankkhali in Naikhyanchhari, several high mounds of Ukhiya and Ghumdhum areas.

In the past two weeks, Bangladeshi border guards have prevented more than 1,000 Rohingya, including many women and children, from entering the country by boat, officials told AFP.

At least 30,000 have been internally displaced in Rakhine and many have tried to reach Bangladesh over the last month despite heightened border patrols, and sought refuge amongst the Rohingya refugee population that already live on the Bangladesh side.

Violence in Rakhine — home to the stateless ethnic group loathed by many of Myanmar’s Buddhist majority — has surged in the last month after security forces poured into the area following a series of attacks on police posts blamed on local militants.

A UN official said last week Myanmar is engaged in ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Rohingya Muslims, as reports emerged of troops shooting at villagers as they tried to flee.

However, Myanmar’s new civilian government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, has rejected the allegations.