Bangladesh repatriated 288 Myanmar military and Border Guard Police personnel who fled across the border amid fighting with armed insurgents on Thursday (April 25).

Police and district administration sources said the Myanmar nationals were first brought to a BIWTA jetty on the Bakkhali River in Cox's Bazar town by bus from Naikongchhari Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion around 4am on Thursday.

Later, they were taken to a Myanmar Navy ship stationed in the Bay of Bengal by a Bangladesh Navy ship around 6:30am. 

BGB Public Relations Officer Shariful Islam confirmed the matter. 

The repatriation involved a carefully staged handover of the individuals to the Myanmar BGP.

The decision followed detailed discussions between representatives of the BGB and BGP, culminating in the formal handover at the BIWTA ghat.

Before the handover, Myanmar officials confirmed the identities and checked the documentation of all returnees.

Earlier, on Feb 15, the government repatriated a total of 330 individuals, including members of Myanmar's border guards and armed forces, who had fled the ongoing conflict in Rakhine state.

BDST: 1229 HRS, APR 25, 2024
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