Quoting sources from both sides of the Naf, our Cox's Bazar correspondent said amidst reports of communal riots in certain areas of Myanmar, thousands of minority Rohingya Muslims from Arakan and Akiyab provinces are camping across the border.

Local people in Teknaf and Cox's Bazar fear influx of Rohingyas into Bangladesh as in 1978 and 1991-92.

District administration sources in Cox's Bazar said there has been no report of any illegal entry of Myanmar nationals into Bangladesh since communal riots broke out over a week ago.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Cox's Bazar Saifuddin Ahmed yesterday directed Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Teknaf Matinul Haq to report immediately if any influx takes place. The UNO then alerted chairmen of all union parishads in Teknaf against possible intrusion.

Reports received from across the border said Myanmar's border security force, Nasaka, had a five-hour commander-level meeting in Mongdow to maintain peace on the border.

Meanwhile, the tension over Rohingyas camping across the border has greatly affected Bangladesh-Myanmar border trade though there has been no official restriction on it. Cement, clothe and dried fish trade on Teknaf-Mongdow border has almost come to a halt, business people said.

From December 1991 to March 1992, between 210,000 and 250,000 Rohingyas fled Arakan in west Myanmar to Bangladesh for fear of torture, religious persecution and forced labour by the Myanmar armed forces.

All but around 20,000 Rohingyas returned home under an initiative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The process of repatriation is still going on, only very slowly. Only 23 Rohingyas from Kutu Palong refugee camp went back home yesterday.