330 Myanmar nationals to be handed over Thursday

Some 330 Myanmar nationals-including members of Border Guard Police (BGP), the border security force of the neighbouring country, who fled to Bangladesh to save their lives from the attacks of Myanmar rebel forces-will be sent back to their homeland on Thursday morning.

Under the overall supervision of the Bangladesh Navy, they will be handed over to the Myanmar authorities at the navy jetty at Inani in Cox's Bazar at 8:00am on February 15, says a press release sent to the media on Wednesday.

According to the press release signed by BGB Headquarters Public Relations Officer Md Shariful Islam, the 330 Myanmar nationals are members of various government forces including BGP, army, immigration and police. They will be taken to Inani jetty at 6:00am on Thursday under tight security.

Sources said the Myanmar BGP members were sheltered at Hnila High School and Ghumdhum High School at Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar. Among them, five were under treatment at Cox's Bazar Medical College and Hospital and four at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital.

Since February 4, Myanmar’s BGP personnel started crossing the border to take refuge in Bangladesh to avoid the ongoing conflict between the rebel group Arakan Army and the country's junta forces. In several phases, they fled to Bangladesh to save their lives. Later Border Guard Bangladesh disarmed them and sheltered them at local schools.