BGB brings back 26 fishermen, including Rohingyas, detained by Arakan Army
The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has brought back to the country 26 fishermen, including Rohingyas, who were detained by the Arakan Army while fishing in the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal near Teknaf in Cox's Bazar.
The fishermen were brought back at 3:00pm today through the jetty in Jaliyapara, Teknaf, said Lieutenant Colonel Md Ashikur Rahman, commander of BGB Teknaf Battalion-2.
Among the fishermen, five are Bangladeshi nationals and 21 are Rohingyas, who are residents of various camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf.
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Lt Colonel Ashikur said, "A number of Bangladeshi fishermen had been detained by the Arakan Army while fishing in the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal, in the Bangladesh-Myanmar maritime boundary at various times. The Arakan Army had these fishermen in their custody for a long time.
"Since most areas of the Rakhine State border in Myanmar are under the control of the Arakan Army, the BGB continued communication efforts to bring them back," the BGB official said.
He further said, "A BGB team left by boat towards Maungdaw early in the morning to bring them [fishermen] back, and by 3:00pm, they were brought back via a wooden boat through the transit jetty pier in Teknaf municipality."
The BGB official added that upon reaching there, information and data were collected and the fishermen were verified.
"The returnee fishermen informed us that while they were fishing in the Naf River and the sea, they mistakenly entered Myanmar's maritime boundaries. The Arakan Army detained them on charges of illegal entry."
Later, the five Bangladeshi fishermen were handed over to their family members, and the Rohingyas were handed over to the authorities of their respective camps, Lt Colonel Ashikur said.
