Burmese refugees control part of camp in Bangladesh

The authorities in Bangladesh have said they are not in complete control of a Burmese refugee camp in the south-east of the country.

They denied earlier reports that the security forces were surrounding the camp ,in Naya Para,near Cox's Bazaar, but acknowledged that it is partially under the control of a militant refugee group.

A BBC correspondent in Dhaka says police are reluctant to intervene for fear of endangering women and children in the camp.

He says the authorities, who initially thought the refugees were armed with bows and arrows, now think that they have guns.

The Bangladeshi foreign affairs minister said on Wednesday that he hoped to resume talks on the issue with Burma in the near future.

A protest by the refugees in August halted the repatriation process.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service