Returning 288 members of the Myanmar Army and Border Guard Force who fled to Bangladesh.
Today Thursday morning in the presence of the delegations of the two countries, after the verification process, they were handed over to the BIWLTA (Bangladesh Inland Navigation Authority) wharf in North Nuniyachra of Cox’s Bazar district city.
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They were later transferred by tugboat through tight security to a large Myanmar ship in the deep sea. On the surface, it can be seen that there is a strict security zone, the position of BGB, Coast Guard and Police all around. The entire area of the repatriation program has been cordoned off.
Around 4:30 am today, 288 Myanmar Army and Border Guard-BGP members were brought to Cox’s Bazar by 11 buses from Naikshyongchari Border Guard Government Primary School in Bandarban district. At 5:30 in the morning, the buses reach North Nuniarchhara BIWTA Ghat in Cox’s Bazar district town. After that, the verification process of 288 members of the Myanmar Army and BGP began.
Besides, a meeting was held between the delegation members of Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Ambassador of Myanmar and 5 members of BGP participated in it. Representatives of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BGB, Coast Guard and Cox’s Bazar administration participated on behalf of Bangladesh. At the end of the hour-long verification process, the members of the Myanmar Army and BGP were transferred to the tugboat at 7 am. The tugboat carrying the Myanmar army and BGP members left for the deep sea. They were handed over to Myanmar ships at sea.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Cox’s Bazar. Yamin Hussain told The Daily Star that in the first phase, 330 people, including Myanmar Army, BGP and Customs officials, were sent back to Myanmar on February 15 through the Navy jetty under Ukhiya. Then in the last one and a half months, another 288 members of the Myanmar Army and BGP fled and took refuge in Bangladesh. They were handed over to the Myanmar delegation this morning after various procedures.
At the end of the entire program, the top officials of the Border Guard Bangladesh-BGB bade farewell to the delegation including the Myanmar Ambassador Aung Q Moyes assigned to Bangladesh. The Myanmar delegation and BGB refused to say anything to the media about the repatriation process.
173 Bangladeshi citizens returned to the country by the ship of the country after serving their prison term in Myanmar on Wednesday afternoon. Out of 173 people, 129 are from Cox’s Bazar, 30 from Bandarban, seven from Rangamati, Khagrachari, Noakhali, Narayanganj, Chittagong, Rajbari, Narsingdi and Nilphamari districts.
288 people who returned to Myanmar fled from March 1 to April 20 and took shelter at various border points.
