Twenty-four fishermen and boat crew members held by the Arakan Army returned to Bangladesh after about nine months, officials said on Wednesday. The group was handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh near the Teknaf-Myanmar transit jetty border area by the Arakan Army, which transported them by trawler. BGB then brought them to the Teknaf jetty.

Of those returned, 18 are Bangladeshi citizens and six are Rohingya. Teknaf-2 BGB Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Hanifur Rahman Bhuiyan announced the information at a news conference at the Teknaf Bangladesh-Myanmar transit jetty. Upazila Nirbahi Officer S M Anik Chowdhury was also present.

Bhuiyan said the fishermen were detained at different times after crossing the maritime zero line into Myanmar waters while fishing in the Bay of Bengal. He said BGB efforts secured their return and that they would be handed to their families after verification. Returnee Mohammad Shafik said detainees faced abuse, worked about seven hours daily, and received one meal a day. He said more than 50 fishermen, including Rohingya, remain detained.