Staff Reporter :
Eighty-five Bangladeshi nationals are set to return home after serving various prison terms in Myanmar. According to a press release from the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon, they left Sittwe port in Rakhine, Myanmar, on Saturday and are expected to arrive in Bangladesh early Sunday.
The returnees are being transported aboard the Myanmar Naval Ship UMS Chin Dwin, which is also in Bangladesh to repatriate members of Myanmar’s defense forces who crossed into Bangladesh due to conflict in Rakhine State. The ship is expected to dock in Cox’s Bazar in the early hours of September 29, 2024.
Among the 85 returnees, 26 were imprisoned in Mawlamyine, 16 in Pathein, three in Kyaikmaraw, and the rest in various prisons across Rakhine. The majority of the returnees (56) hail from Cox’s Bazar, Narayanganj, and Narsingdi districts, while others come from Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachari, Noakhali, and Dhaka districts.
This successful repatriation is the result of ongoing efforts by the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon and the Bangladesh Consulate in Sittwe. Over the last 15 months, the Embassy has coordinated the return of 332 Bangladeshi nationals, with the last batch of 45 returnees arriving on June 8, 2024.
The Bangladesh Embassy and Consulate handled the verification of the returnees’ identities, issued travel permits, and maintained communication with Myanmar authorities to ensure a smooth process.
These efforts are part of Bangladesh’s broader commitment to protecting its citizens abroad and addressing humanitarian concerns through diplomatic channels.