Teknaf, Bangladesh: Burma’s Border Security Force (Nasaka) handed over four Bangladeshi prisoners to the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) yesterday, according to an official from Teknaf.

“They had been languishing under their imprisonment in Burma for more than four years. The Nasaka arrested the four Bangladeshi while they were fishing in Naf River.”

“All four of the ex-prisoners hail from Natonmura and Zalia Para of Teknaf, and they completed their jail term on February 27, 2011.”

After completing their jail term, they were handed over to the BGB by Nasaka agents. The BGB handed the men over to the Teknaf Police Station for further processing.

Later, the police summoned the men’s relatives and village chairman to receive the four released Bangladeshis.

According to one of the Bangladeshi ex-prisoners, over 80 Bangladeshi people are currently languishing inside jails in Burma.

A local fisherman said most of the Bangladeshi prisoners are fishermen who are arrested by Nasaka personnel near the Naf river when they go to fish in Burma’s territorial waters.