Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has brought back 73 Bangladeshi fishermen who were detained by the Arakan Army at different times while fishing in the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district.
The fishermen were returned through the Jaliapara transit ghat in Teknaf around 4:30pm on Monday following a series of negotiations with the Arakan Army, said Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed, commander of BGB’s Ramu Sector.
The Arakan Army formally handed over the fishermen to the BGB at zero line of the Naf River.
After completing necessary procedures, they were brought back to Bangladesh and handed over to their families through local administration, he said.
Efforts are going on to secure the release of other detained fishermen, he added.
At least 200 fishermen had reportedly been detained by the Arakan Army at different times from the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal areas.