173 Bangladeshis returned home from Myanmar

Dhaka, April 24, 2024 (BSS): 173 Bangladeshis returned home from Myanmar on Wednesday. On the other hand, 288 members including BGP, army, immigration who escaped from Myanmar will return to the country tomorrow on April 25 and April 26.
According to the press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 173 Bangladeshi citizens who were imprisoned in Rakhine, Myanmar and their citizenships were verified by the special initiative of the Ministry’s Myanmar Division, returned home from Myanmar by sea on Wednesday.
Besides, the return of 288 members of Myanmar including BGP, army, immigration and others who took refuge in Bangladesh due to the ongoing internal conflict in the country will be completed tomorrow on April 25 and if necessary on April 26.
On the occasion of repatriation, a repatriation program was organized at BIWTA Ghat in Cox’s Bazar. Myanmar ship Chin Duin has arrived in Bangladesh with Bangladeshi citizens returning home. Local Member of Parliament of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Saimum Sarwar Kamal welcomed the Bangladeshi citizens who were present at JT Ghat. Myanmar ship Chin Duin will leave Bangladesh tomorrow with Myanmar troops and others.
The citizens of the two countries are returning in the light of the decision taken in several inter-ministerial meetings led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the return of the citizens of Myanmar and Bangladesh. Repatriation to Myanmar is proposed through the Myanmar Embassy in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon.
At the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the assistance of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the verification process of the mentioned citizens in Bangladesh was quickly completed. First, Myanmar authorities agreed to repatriate 144 verified Bangladeshi nationals who had completed prison terms or received amnesty. However, under the special initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Myanmar authorities agreed to send back to Bangladesh all Bangladeshi citizens who have completed their imprisonment, have been imprisoned and are under trial, and have verified their citizenship. As a result, the Myanmar authorities released another 29 Bangladeshi citizens. The liaison of the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon and the representative of the Bangladesh Consulate in Sittwe coordinated with the Myanmar authorities in this regard.
Immigration of Bangladeshi citizens who came to Myanmar by ship, other related activities including health examination and necessary activities for sending Myanmar army and other members have been completed with the help of Ministry of Home Affairs, BGB, Coast Guard, District Administration, District Police, District Civil Surgeon and other authorities. The Bangladeshi nationals will be handed over to their relatives after completing the necessary tasks.
The Myanmar delegation arriving by ship will complete the quick identification and necessary documentation of the Myanmar BGP and other members who have taken refuge in Bangladesh at the BGB’s Naikshyongchari camp on Wednesday. There, the asylum seekers will be handed over to the BGP members in the presence of representatives of the Myanmar Embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted in Bangladesh.
It should be noted that so far this year more than 600 asylum seeker members of Myanmar’s BGP and military forces have been provided asylum and return on humanitarian grounds. BGB authorities have provided humanitarian assistance to Myanmar BGPs, army personnel and others who have taken refuge and arrangements have been made for their repatriation through a bilateral initiative through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.