9 fishermen to return home from Myanmar today
19 others scheduled to be repatriated Jun 15
UNB
The second batch of nine Bangladeshi fishermen, who recently secured Myanmar Presidents clemency, will return home from Yangon today by air, reports UNB. Their boat had drifted into Myanmar waters in January this year due to engine failure and they were subsequently jailed in Myanmar.
They have already been transferred from Thandwe to Yangon for repatriation, diplomatic sources said. The remaining 19 people are scheduled to be repatriated through Taungbro border point on June 15 after Bangladesh consulate in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state, makes necessary coordination with Myanmar Border Guard Police and BGB.
The first batch of five people, released from jails in Tanintharyi close to Thailand, returned to Dhaka from Yangon by a Biman flight on June 7, said the Bangladesh embassy in Yangon.
Thirty-three Bangladesh nationals have secured Myanmar presidents clemency as they were jailed in Myanmar for their illegal entry into the neighbouring country.
The Myanmar president in an executive order on May 25 pardoned the Bangladeshis following persistent requests by Bangladesh embassy in Yangon.
This clemency followed another clemency granted by Bangladesh to 92 Myanmar fishermen who had entered Bangladesh waters and were repatriated in December 2016.
Bangladesh said it expects that the two sides to release the people who unintentionally cross borders and territorial waters in such a spirit of good neighborliness and in accordance with the 1980 Border Agreement.
