173 Bangladeshis repatriated from Myanmar
288 Myanmar army, BGP took shelter in Bangladesh to be repatriated on 25-26 April
A total of 173 Bangladeshis who were imprisoned in Myanmar's Rakhine and whose citizenship was verified, returned to Bangladesh from the neighbouring country by sea on Wednesday (24 April), under a special initiative by the Myanmar Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The repatriation of 288 Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP), army members, immigration officials, and others who have taken shelter in Bangladesh in the ongoing internal conflict in Myanmar will be completed on 25-26 April, reads a press release.
Myanmar ship Chin Duin carrying the returning Bangladeshi citizens has arrived in Bangladesh and will leave Bangladesh carrying Myanmar's BGP, military, and others.
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The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) received the returnees and handed them over to the police. Then, police handed most of the returnees to their families, after verification.
Police Superintendent of Cox's Bazar Mahafuzul Islam said many could not be handed over to their families due to legal complications.
Regarding the legal complications, he said, that if there is a case against any of the returnees, they will be produced before the court and will face legal action. Now the matter is under scrutiny.
Most of the relatives of the returnees present there said most of the returning Bangladeshis attempted to go to Malaysia by sea route. Some of them were fishermen and illegal intruders in Myanmar.
Out of the 173 people, 129 are from Cox's Bazar, 30 are from Bandarban, seven are from Rangamati, one each from Khagrachari, Noakhali, Narayanganj, Chattogram, Rajbari, Narshingdi and Nilphamari.
The repatriation process of the Myanmar nationals has been organised at BIWTA Ghat in Cox's Bazar.
Earlier, a Myanmar delegation arrived at Cox's Bazar on Wednesday to receive their people who were kept under BGB custody. After arrival in Cox's Bazar, the delegation left for Naikhongchari Upazila of Bandarban by car.
Myanmar Army and BGP men had escaped violence in Myanmar and will now be handed over to the delegation.
The delegation will quickly identify the BGP and other members of Myanmar and complete the necessary documentation. Later, the Myanmar citizens will be handed over to the BGP members in the presence of representatives of the Myanmar Embassy to Bangladesh and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
