Dhaka, Oct 15 (V7N): The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) successfully facilitated the return of 16 Bangladeshi fishermen who had been held captive by Myanmar's Arakan Army while fishing in the Bay of Bengal. The fishermen were handed over to Teknaf BGB at the neutral line along the Naf River on Monday night.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Mohiuddin Ahmed, commanding officer of Teknaf’s BGB-2, confirmed the rescue during a press briefing at the Teknaf BGB headquarters on Tuesday.

According to Lt Col Mohiuddin Ahmed, the fishermen had embarked from Nunyarchhara Fishery Ghat in Cox’s Bazar on September 28 to fish in the deep waters of the Bay of Bengal. On the evening of October 5, they were attacked by unidentified assailants on three trawlers, who assaulted and detained them inside the trawler's deck.

On October 7, the miscreants released the fishermen at a location within Myanmar's portion of the Bay of Bengal. The fishermen later reached out to the Arakan Army through local Myanmar civilians and surrendered themselves to the group.

The BGB learned of their captivity on October 13, after the fishermen had been held for six days. Negotiations followed, leading to the safe handover of the fishermen to the BGB at the zero line of the Naf River on Monday night.

The fishermen have since been reunited with their families, BGB officials confirmed.

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