Amid the ongoing Rohingya crisis, Bangladesh has arranged a ‘prisoner exchange’ with Myanmar. In this process, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is ready to send back 179 members of Myanmar’s junta forces. In return, the country’s junta government has promised to return more than two hundred Bangladeshis detained in Myanmar.
BNN Breaking reported that after being defeated by the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine State, members of the Myanmar Army fled to Bangladesh through the Naikshyongchari border in Teknaf. This incident is a reflection of Myanmar’s internal conflict.
On February 7, BGB detained a team of Myanmar Army including an officer of the Border Guard Police (BGP) from the Bangladesh border. They are accused of involvement in the 2017 Rohingya genocide.
According to related sources, this is not a normal ‘prisoner exchange’ or ‘repatriation’; Rather, it indicates a complex diplomatic engagement between Bangladesh and Myanmar amid the ongoing Rohingya crisis. Because, at that time Myanmar army members sought refuge in Bangladesh, but later they expressed their desire to return to their country.
Rohingya repatriation
Meanwhile, Rohingya repatriation is currently a concern for Bangladesh. Because, continuous efforts to repatriate Rohingyas have stopped. The refugees demanded their security and citizenship before returning to Myanmar.
On the other hand, the situation has become more complicated and dire due to the approximately 6 lakh Rohingyas in Rakhine State. In this situation, the ‘prisoner exchange’ between Bangladesh and Myanmar is not only the repatriation of prisoners, it is a reflection of the larger ‘geo-political’ and ‘humanitarian challenges’ in the region
