Myanmar security personnel cleared for repatriation on Saturday, says Bangladesh Foreign Minister

NEWS DESK

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud has announced that Dhaka has authorized the repatriation of Myanmar security personnel on Saturday (April 22), contingent on weather conditions and internal factors in Myanmar.

“We have given our clearance for April 22. Whether they can take back their citizens on that day will depend on the weather and their internal situation,” Mahmud told reporters after an event at the foreign ministry on Friday afternoon.

The Foreign Minister detailed that the Myanmar security personnel who fled to Bangladesh will return by ship, provided by the Myanmar authorities.

As of Friday, 285 members of Myanmar’s border guards and army personnel have fled to Bangladesh due to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar between the ruling authority and various armed groups.

Conflicts in Arakan state have escalated since February, primarily over control of a border camp, with continuous reports of gunfire, mortar shells, and rocket explosions.

Bangladesh has provided refuge to over a million Rohingyas from Rakhine State, especially after the 2017 military crackdown. However, the current crisis does not directly involve the Rohingya population.