All 330 intruders sent back to Myanmar by ship

daily observer
Staff Correspondent
Published : Friday, 16 February, 2024

No Myanmar citizen will be allowed to enter BD: BGB DG

All 330 Myanmar nationals, including 302 Border Guard Police (BGP)

members, four BGP family members, two army personnel, 18 immigration officials and four civilians, who intruded into Bangladesh territory following escalation of fighting in Myanmar, were escorted by the BGB and handed over to the BGP, a BGB press release said.

They boarded a ship at the Naval Jetty in Inani as BGB DG Maj Gen Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui and Myanmar Ambassador U Aung Kyaw Moe witnessed the handover.

Warning the authorities concerned, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General (DG) Maj Gen Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui on Thursday said BGB controls the border situation entirely and whatever situation arises, not a single Myanmar citizen will be allowed to enter Bangladesh territory.

 
He issued the warning while briefing media on Thursday at the Bangladesh Navy Jetty at Inani in Coxs Bazar at around 11:00am following a handover ceremony of the 330 Myanmar nationals intruded during the clash with Myanmar rebels to the countrys government.

Earlier, a delegation from Myanmar, led by Ambassador U Aung Kyaw Moe, arrived at the Naval Jetty ghat in Inani in Coxs Bazar district aboard a speedboat at 9:50am, to repatriate 330 members of the Myanmar personnel and others who had fled to Bangladesh.

Clashes have been taking place between Myanmar border force, BGP, and the insurgent group Arakan Army across the Naikhongchhari border since February 2.

The Arakan Army has reportedly taken over Tumbru camps and Dhekibunia border outposts from the BGP. The Myanmar officials started crossing border since February 4 amid heavy fighting.

Meanwhile, BGB chief said they have strengthened patrolling at the border. BGB remains on high alert and is observing the border situation round-the-clock.

In the first phase, 165 Myanmar nationals were sent from the jetty to a Myanmar Navy ship stationed in Myanmar waters by privately owned tourist ship Karnaphuli Express. In the next phase, another 165 people were sent back on Thursday afternoon, said the BGB Director General.

Meanwhile, BGB DG said the repatriation process has been successfully completed since all stakeholders of the government are working together in coordination and at the same time with the effort of the Myanmar government.

The BGB DG added that the weapons brought by them [Myanmar nationals] will be sent back through a separate process later.

On this occasion, Myanmars ambassador to Bangladesh, U Aung kyaw Moe, thanked the Bangladesh government, BGB, Coast Guard and Navy for providing safe shelter to the BGP members and completing the successful repatriation process.

Earlier at 9:50am, a 5-member BGP delegation led by Myanmar Border Guard Police Colonel Myo Thura Naung arrived at Inani Naval Jetty in Coxs Bazar by a Bangladesh Coast Guard ship.

Under the leadership of Col Mehdi Hossain Kabir, the Sector Commander of Ramu Sector of BGB, a repatriation committee consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of Coxs Bazar district administration and police was formed.

The committee quickly communicated and coordinated with the concerned authorities of Myanmar and completed all the processes of repatriation of BGP and other members who fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar.

However, the impact of Myanmars internal conflict was felt in the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, as a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man were killed in Bangladesh territory as a mortar shell fell on a house at Jalpaitali village in Ghumdhum union of Naikhongchhari on the night of February 4.

 

Link : Here