The government of Thailand repatriated 28 Bangladeshi nationals to Bangladesh on February 16, who were held along with 200 Arakanese Rohingya from the sea by Thai authorities over a year ago, sources said.
The 28 Bangladeshis arrived at the Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport by a Bangladesh Biman Airlines flight number BG 089 at 5:20 pm today, sources added.
"When the Thai authorities learnt there were some Bangladeshis among the detained, they approached the Bangladesh mission in Bangkok. Embassy officials visited them and sent their names and identities to the foreign ministry. Our police then verified the identities. And now they are returning," said Saida Muna Tasneem, director general, external publicity of the foreign ministry at the press briefing.
A Thai charitable organization is providing the airfare for the 28 Bangladeshis while the International Organization for Migration through its offices in Bangkok and Dhaka are providing the logistic support for their safe return, according toforeign ministry press briefing.
The Bangladeshis tried to go to Malaysia from Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong in an engine boat through Thai waters in search of better jobs in December 2008 and January 2009. On their way, they were arrested by the Thai Navy. There are now many Arakanese Rohingya in the Thai Immigration Detention Center (IDC), according to sources from Thailand.
Hundred of Arakanese Rohingyas, including a few Bangladeshis, were caught by Thai Navy personnel and set adrift on deep sea by Thai authorities without adequate food and engine, the sources said.
Indian Coastguards from Andaman Islands and fishermen from Indonesia rescued some of them from Indian and Indonesian territorial waters when they were adrift.
Later, some people were sent to Bangladesh by Indian authorities through the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society in 2009. They were from different parts of Cox’s Bazaar and Chittagong.
The Arakanese Rohingya left their homeland, Burma for Malaysia in search of better life through the deadly sea route because of religious persecution and human right abuses in Arakan State by the military junta, said an elder from the border area.
“A strong syndicate in Cox’s Bazar which promises Arakanese Rohingya and Bangladeshi to provide good jobs in Malaysia where the people are willing to go Malaysia with cheap cost,” said a boatpeople watchdog from border area.
