177 people in all, including Border Guard Police (BGP) officers from Myanmar and customs officers who sought sanctuary in Bangladesh, will be returned. Plans are on for a navy vessel to return that to Myanmar during the first week of April.
According to officials in the foreign ministry, Myanmar had stated on April 1 that it wanted to reclaim these 177. However, the date has been rescheduled because the nation is still unable to finish some technological issues, paperwork, and legalities. Officials from Bangladesh’s foreign ministry now anticipate that they will be returned around the first week of April.
Intense combat between the junta forces and the armed Arakan Army broke out in the state of Rakhine last month. Following the confrontations, 172 BGP members and 3 customs officers fled into Bangladesh in the days that followed March 11. So yet, there has been no way to return them.
The BGP members and customs officials who had fled into Bangladesh last month were all sent back within a week. Why has it not been possible to send them back this time even though two weeks have passed? In reply, the concerned officials told this correspondent that sending back the 177 persons has been delayed due to certain complicated procedures on the part of Myanmar. This time too, as in the last time, they will be sent back by a navy vessel. It is taking time to send them back as Myanmar is delaying in conveying certain information.
A total of 330 people, including members of the Myanmar security forces, customs officers, and civilians, sought refuge in Bangladesh for four days starting on February 4. Through Rahamater Bil along the Ukhia border, Hoaikang in Teknaf, and the Ghumdhum border at Naikhangchhari in Bandarban, they had entered Bangladesh. They were all sent back by a naval ship from the navy jetty in Ukhia on February 15.
