Twenty-four fishermen who were detained by the Arakan Army after accidentally entering Myanmar’s territorial waters while fishing in the Bay of Bengal have been repatriated to Bangladesh.

Of them, 18 are Bangladeshi nationals and six are members of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMN) community. On Wednesday (August 19), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) received them from the Arakan Army at the zero line of the Naf River and brought them to the Teknaf jetty.

According to BGB data, between January 1, 2025 and August 19, 2026, the Arakan Army detained a total of 434 fishermen who inadvertently crossed into Myanmar’s territorial waters while fishing in the Bay of Bengal. Among them, 222 were Bangladeshi nationals and 212 were FDMN members.

So far, 348 of the detained fishermen have been repatriated. They include 157 Bangladeshis and 191 FDMN members. Another 86 fishermen remain detained in Myanmar, including 65 Bangladeshis and 21 FDMN members.

BGB said it has been making continuous efforts on humanitarian grounds to bring the detained fishermen back to Bangladesh. As part of these efforts, 24 fishermen were received from the Arakan Army on Wednesday and subsequently taken to the Teknaf jetty.

The identities of the returnees are being verified through local upazila representatives and law enforcement agencies. Once their identities are confirmed, arrangements will be made to hand them over to their families, BGB said.

Lieutenant Colonel Md. Hanifur Rahman Bhuiyan, commander of Teknaf Battalion (2 BGB), said BGB has been playing a responsible role in ensuring the security of the country’s borders as well as the lives and property of its people.

He said the detained fishermen were brought back through professionalism, sincerity and effective coordination in addressing the humanitarian crisis. BGB’s efforts will continue to ensure the safe return of the remaining detained fishermen, he added.

BGB statistics show that of the 434 fishermen detained by the Arakan Army from the beginning of 2025 through August 19 this year, 348 have returned home. This means nearly one-fifth of the detained fishermen are still awaiting repatriation.

Among those still in Myanmar, 65 are Bangladeshi nationals, making their swift return an important outstanding issue.