The largest return of Bangladeshi citizens from Myanmar took place as 173 'verified Bangladeshi' today en-route home from Sittwe prison in Rakhine State of Myanmar, said the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon.
The returnees were carried by the 'Myanmar Naval Ship Chin Dwin' which is visiting Bangladesh to bring back 285 Myanmar security personnel who were forced to cross the border into Bangladeshi territory due to conflict in
Rakhine state, according to a press release, issued by Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon, received here.
The ship is expected to reach the Bangladesh terrain on Wednesday and the handover procedure of the Bangladeshi citizens to the relevant authorities will take place.
Out of the 173 persons, 129 are from Cox's Bazar, 30 from Bandarban, 07 from Rangamati, one each from Khagrachhari, Noakhali, Narayanganj, Chattogram, Rajbari, Narsingdi and Nilphamari.
Bangladesh mission in Yangon, upon receipt of the information of the tentative visit of the Myanmar ship to Bangladesh, took up the issue with the Bangladesh Foreign and Home Ministries and relevant Myanmar authorities to seize the opportunity to send back the maximum number of verified Bangladeshi Nationals who were in different prisons in Myanmar.
The Embassy also pursued the relevant host authorities to bring the 144 'verified and jail term completed or pardoned' returnees in Sittwe prison for smooth return and pursued for releasing the 29 verified Bangladeshi nationals who were still serving their jail terms or under trial.
Pursuant to the Mission's efforts the 29 persons were pardoned and sent back to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon and Bangladesh Consulate in Sittwe have been working steadfastly for this return since the last return of Bangladeshi citizens that took place on October 3, 2023 when 29 Bangladeshis returned home through a flag meeting.
Representatives of Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon and Bangladesh Consulate in Sittwe were physically present to coordinate with the local authorities, conduct verification process and issue Travel Permits in favour of the returnees.
285 Myanmar personnel to be repatriated on 25 April
Besides, Bangladesh will repatriate 285 Border Guard Police (BGP) and army personnel to Myanmar on 25 April, said Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Monday.
"They were supposed to be sent back by sea from Bangladesh today, but that is not happening. On 24 April, Myanmar will send a ship with 154 stranded Bangladeshi citizens," he said during a conference held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka.
Hasan said the ship will return with the 285 Myanmar personnel currently in Bangladesh the next day.
Ship schedules for repatriating Myanmar personnel are dependent on the weather and the situation in Myanmar, Hasan noted in a previous press conference on 19 April.
Myanmar is currently embroiled in a conflict between the Arakan Army insurgents and junta forces, however as the conflict grows intense, more and more Myanmar nationals have been fleeing to Bangladesh.