Myanmar to take back 285 soldiers who sought refuge in Bangladesh

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – A ship from Myanmar is expected to take back members of security forces from the junta-ruled country a second time from bordering Bangladesh, a note on the move confirmed Friday.

Eleven more Myanmar border officers had recently fled the fighting in Myanmar's western border region, bringing the total number of refugee troops in Bangladesh to 285. Myanmar proposed they be sent back via water and Bangladesh agreed.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told the reporters in the capital Dhaka that the Myanmar soldiers will return home while some Bangladeshis stuck in Myanmar will return on the same day.

“285 members of Myanmar's border police and army who have taken refuge in Bangladesh have been given clearance to return by sea on a Myanmar ship,” he added, saying that the same ship on April 22will return 150 Bangladeshis stuck in Myanmar.

However, the ship's journey depends on the sea and the situation in Myanmar, he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed said that they were in touch with the leadership of Myanmar.

“But as you know, there is a ban on senior officials in Myanmar [by the US]. Contacting them [Myanmar leadership] under such circumstances could cause risk while all countries are our friends,” he told a seminar on defense diplomacy.

“So while pleasing a friendly country we cannot displease another country. We have to keep this reality in mind.”

Bangladesh on Feb. 15 sent back 330 border police, soldiers, customs officers, and other government officials and their family members.

Myanmar border police began fleeing to Bangladesh this February year as conflict in the Southeast Asian nation escalated.

This conflict also pushed persecuted Rohingya Muslims to try to cross the Bangladesh border to the southeastern Cox's Bazar district where some 1.2 million Muslims are already living since fleeing a crackdown by Myanmar's junta in August 2017.

Mohammed Rezuwan Khan, a Rohingya youth residing inside Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, told Anadolu that they didn’t notice any Rohingya people crossing the Bangladesh border this April.

“Rohingya people often gather in groups at the south border points along Bangladesh but couldn’t cross the border as Bangladesh has tightened border security,” he said.

Rohingya people are in great danger and food insecurity inside Myanmar, the world should fall on them, he appealed.