Eight Myanmar nationals have been arrested after allegedly entering Bangladesh illegally through the Naikhongchhari border in Bandarban without valid travel documents, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police said.

The detainees have been handed over to police after a case was filed against them under the Foreigners Act, 1946.

The arrests were made at around 4:30am on Friday during a joint patrol in the Gachhbunia area under the jurisdiction of the Rejupara Border Outpost (BOP) in Ghumdhum Union of Naikhongchhari upazila.

According to BGB and police, a joint patrol led by Major Md Mehedi Hasan Ashik, deputy commander of the Cox's Bazar Battalion (34 BGB), launched the operation following a tip-off.

The patrol intercepted the eight individuals about four kilometres inside Bangladeshi territory from Border Pillar 41, where they were allegedly found without passports, visas or any other valid travel documents after crossing the border from Myanmar.

The detainees were identified as Mong Ba Tongchonga, 34; Mong M, 20; Kingla Thuaing, 21; Rupar, 19; Thaingsa Mong, 40; Tuli, 20; Tantan Naing, 20; and Mongta Naing, 20. All are residents of different areas under Dekibunia Police Station in Maungdaw district of Myanmar.

BGB said one of the detainees, Mong Ba Tongchonga, claimed to be a Bangladeshi citizen and produced a national identity card and a birth registration certificate.

However, officials said verification found no evidence linking the documents to his identity, raising suspicion that they were being used fraudulently.

Following the arrests, Rejupara BOP's Nayeb Subedar Md Miraj Ali Bhuiyan filed a complaint with Naikhongchhari Police Station.

Police subsequently registered a case under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946, and launched an investigation.

Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Mojjamel Haque of Naikhongchhari Police Station said eight Myanmar nationals had been charged under the Foreigners Act based on the BGB complaint.

"They have been produced before the court, and the investigation is ongoing," he told Daily Waadaa.

Lieutenant Colonel SM Khairul Alam, commanding officer of the Cox's Bazar Battalion (34 BGB), said the border force remained committed not only to guarding the frontier but also to preventing drug trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking, illegal infiltration and other cross-border crimes.

"Such operations will continue with the highest level of professionalism and dedication," he said.