Cox's Bazar: 16 Bangladeshi fishermen who had taken refuge with the Arakan Army in Myanmar after being caught by pirates at sea have been handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
The issue was confirmed by Teknaf-2 BGB in a press conference on Tuesday (October 15).
On Monday evening, they were brought back from Myanmar through the border adjacent to Shahpari Island in the Naf River.
The returned fishermen are, Ramu Upazila of Cox's Bazar. Ismail (27), Abdul Hafez (28) of Cox's Bazar Sadar, Azizur Rahman (45), Abu Hena (40), Ali (40), Arafat (30), Md. Helal (28), Aman Ullah (50), Nabi Hossain (28), Md. Salimullah (45), Md. Yunus (52), Md. Sagar (22), Md. Salim (28), Dil Mohammad (27), Rahim Ullah (52) and Md. Joynal (55).
Lt. Col. Mohiuddin Ahmed said in a press conference that on the morning of September 28, 16 fishermen went fishing in the deep Bay of Bengal in a trawler from Nunyarchhara Fishery Ghat in Cox's Bazar. On the evening of October 5, unidentified robbers in three trawlers attacked the fishermen.
He said that they were confined inside the deck of the trawler. Later, in the early hours of October 7, the robbers released the fishermen to a pasture on the Myanmar side of the Bay of Bengal.
Later the fishermen contacted the Arakan Army through the natives of the country and voluntarily surrendered to them. After being in the custody of the Arakan Army for about six days, the fishermen were informed about their arrest on October 13.
This BGB official said, in view of this, a delegation of Teknaf Battalion of BGB contacted the Arakan Army. Later on Monday evening, 16 fishermen were brought back to Bangladesh through Shahpari island jetty in Naf river in Teknaf.
Lt. Col. Mohiuddin Ahmed said that BGB officials contacted the relatives and handed over the fishermen on Tuesday afternoon.
Bangladesh Time: 1930 hours, October 15, 2024
SB/RH
