BGB Brings Home 6 BD Fishermen Held by Arakan Army

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) successfully facilitated the return of six Bangladeshi fishermen who had been detained by Myanmar's Arakan Army. After 28 days in captivity, the fishermen were safely brought back this afternoon through the Ghumdhum border in Bandarban's Naikhongchhari upazila, according to Lieutenant Colonel Md Faruk Hossain Khan, the commander of BGB's 34th Battalion in Cox's Bazar.

The fishermen freed today were identified as Md Sohel, Md Ismail, Md Jasim, Md Hossain Ali, Md Shafique, and Md Shaheen.

Lieutenant Colonel Faruk explained that the incident occurred on March 1 when two Bangladeshi fishing boats accidentally strayed into Myanmar's territorial waters in the Naf River. Amid ongoing hostilities in the region, the Arakan Army, which controls the border area, seized the boats and took five of the fishermen into custody. On March 25, a sixth fisherman was captured by the group.

Following the incident, the BGB initiated a series of diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the fishermen, engaging in negotiations with the Arakan Army. After extensive talks, the Arakan Army agreed to release the detainees.

The fishermen were eventually handed over to their families, bringing an end to the month-long ordeal.