Dhaka now thinking of repatriating Myanmar troops by sea: foreign secy

Dhaka is weighing repatriating the over 300 members of Myanmar forces and border guards by sea, after initially deciding to send them by air.

"Myanmar had initially proposed that they be repatriated via the waterway, but we felt it was not safe. Now, however, we are thinking that they can go by the waterway as they wanted and are ready to arrange the repatriation," Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen told The Daily Star today after an inter-ministerial meeting at the ministry.

Representatives from the Armed Forces Division, Border Guard Bangladesh, police, Armed Police Battalion and intelligence agencies were present.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Myanmar Monwar Hossain also discussed the issue of repatriating the Myanmar BGP members with Myanmar Foreign Minister Than Swe.

He also strongly protested the spillover of Myanmar's domestic conflicts into Bangladesh and said such incidents should not happen in the future.

Asked when the repatriation of the Myanmar border and security force members will take place, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said, "It is not finalised yet. We want to ensure safety for their repatriation."

On the security at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, he said the security forces of Bangladesh have revamped capability at the border. They are on their highest alert, he added.