BD repatriates 40 Myanmar civil, military personnel

Staff reporter :

Bangladesh on Wednesday repatriated 34 members of Myanmar’s military and Border Guard Police (BGP), along with six civilian nationals of Myanmar, as tensions continue to escalate in Myanmar’s conflict-ridden Rakhine State.

The repatriation was carried out from Cox’s Bazar Airport via a special civilian aircraft dispatched by Myanmar, marking yet another round of coordinated efforts between the two neighboring nations.

Among the returnees were 34 uniformed personnel who had fled to Bangladesh during intense fighting in Rakhine between 09 December 2024 and 12 January 2025.

They had taken refuge in Naikhongchhari, Bandarban, and were subsequently taken into the custody of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

Alongside them, six Myanmar civilians – five detained in Cox’s Bazar Jail and one in Patuakhali Jail – who had completed their respective prison sentences, were also returned to Myanmar.

The repatriation was made possible after Myanmar confirmed the identities of the uniformed personnel and completed all necessary documentation. The process was overseen by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs (Security Services Division), Cox’s Bazar District Administration, Bangladesh Police, BGB, Civil Aviation Authority, Customs, and other concerned authorities.

Diplomats from the Myanmar Embassy in Dhaka were present during the handover process, underlining the bilateral coordination that has been ongoing amid the unrest in Myanmar’s western state.

This is not the first instance of such a repatriation. Bangladesh had earlier facilitated the return of 875 Myanmar BGP and military personnel in 2024, who had also fled into Bangladesh territory during episodes of internal conflict. Those repatriations were conducted in four phases via maritime routes.

Bangladesh has consistently reiterated its commitment to maintaining regional peace and stability, and Tuesday’s repatriation highlights its stance on upholding humanitarian and diplomatic obligations while ensuring border security.