Myanmar and Bangladesh have agreed to start the repatriation process of over 3000 displaced Muslims as of 22 August, U Zaw Htay, spokesperson of the Office of the President, said at the press conference held on 16 August at the Presidential Palace.

The Bangladeshi government sent a list including over 20,000 names and Myanmar’s ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population verified the list and stated that 3450 people are cleared for return, the ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.

The Bangladeshi government, however, has not responded so far.

“It is a major holiday in Bangladesh at the moment. So, so we told them to immediately address us in the upcoming business day,” U Zaw Htay said.

He added that Myanmar is ready to repatriate the verified 3450 people at once and it is going to bring them back by seven groups at a time.

The UN said that over 700,000 Muslims from Arakan State in Myanmar fled to neighboring Bangladesh after the violence attack in August 2017 and military clearance operations in Maungdaw district.

Myanmar and Bangladesh have arranged to repatriate displaced people since 2018, but the attempt to receive returnees have not yet started so far.