DHAKA, June 9, 2024 (BSS) – 45 verified Bangladeshi nationals who were imprisoned in Rakhine State of Myanmar returned home today as Myanmar Naval Ship UMS Chin Dwin carried them at Cox's Bazar.  

At the same time, 134 members of Myanmar defence forces including Myanmar Border Guard (BGP) and others who were forced to cross the border into Bangladeshi territory due to conflict in Rakhine state were sent back to Myanmar.

UMS Chin Dwin with 45 Bangladeshis departed from Myanmar’s Sittwe port on Saturday morning and arrived at Cox's Bazar and left Bangladesh with 134 repatriated members of Myanmar defense forces and others today, a foreign ministry press release said here.

This procedure was completed as per the decision of the inter-ministerial meeting of the foreign ministry.

Representatives of Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon and Bangladesh Consulate, Sittwe were present to coordinate with the local authorities, conduct verification process and issue Travel Permits in favor of the returnees.

Foreign ministry Myanmar wing's director general informed that the director of his wing received the Bangladeshis from the ship UMS Chin Dwin.

Immigration, health check, other tasks and repatriation of the Bangladeshis and the Myanmar’s defense forces members were completed with the help of the Home ministry, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Coast Guard, district administration, district police and other related authorities.

So far this year, 752 members of Myanmar's BGP and defense forces have been provided shelter in Bangladesh and arranged their repatriation through bilateral initiative by the foreign ministry.

A total of 218 Bangladeshis were brought back from Myanmar this year, including 173 Bangladeshi nationals who returned on April 24, 2024.