Narinjara News

Cox’s Bazar, 15 June 2005

Arrested Burmese refugee released

Maung Kyaw Moe, a Burmese refugee who was arrested in Bangladesh, was released yesterday after authorities found he was not guilty.

Maung Kyaw Moe, refugee ID card number 01087, was arrested by Bangladesh Rifle (BDR) in Cox's Bazaar along with a member of National United Party of Arakan (NUPA) on 12 June.

After being arrested, he was brought from Cox's Bazaar to a BDR camp in Naikkhonchari Township near the Burmese border.  He, and three other arrested members of NUPA, were interrogated about their involvement in arms smuggling.

The additional two members of NUPA were arrested by BDR in another area of Bangladesh.

After interrogation, the authorities determined he was not guilty and was a UNHCR recognized refugee.  He was thusly released from BDR custody.

The three members of NUPA were reportedly handed over by BDR yesterday to the police department, so that necessary action can be taken according to Bangladesh law.

It has been learnt that the Bangladesh government is now cracking down on criminal arms groups, after a report that over 400,000 arms including locally made guns have been spreading through the country in the hands of criminal groups. #

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