The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) handed over four Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) personnel after a battalion commander-level meeting between BGB and BGP on September 4 afternoon through the Ghumdhum border of Bandarban district, according to BGB officials.

The four BGP detainees -- Captain Lwin Ko Maung, age 30, Sergeant Yan Naing Than, age 31, Sergeant Paing Ye, age 25, and Sergeant Kyaw Kyaw, age 28 -- returned home through the Bangladesh-Myanmar friendship bridge following the flag meeting between BGB and BGP at noon.

The four BGP members were arrested for illegal entry to Bangladesh through the Nazi Para Naf River point in Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar on August 25, according to a BGB official.

When arrested, the detainees, who were in civilian dress and carrying an automatic rifle, some night-vision equipment and contraband methamphetamine pills on their speedboat, identified themselves as BGP members. They were drunk when they were arrested. They claimed that all four of them were posted at BGP Unit 2 at Nagkhura camp, opposite Teknaf of Bangladesh.

BGB seized an M-11 rifle, 10 bullets, a torchlight, five mobile phones and a speedboat from them.

Lt Colonel Ali Haidar Azad Ahmed, commanding officer of the BGB 34 Battalion in Cox’s Bazar, led the talks from the Bangladesh side, while the Myanmar side was led by Lt Colonel Kyi Young, the BGP commanding officer in Maungdaw. Lt Colonel Faisal Hasan Khan, commanding officer of BGB 2 in Teknaf was also present at the meeting.

The foreign ministry was against the release of the detained BGP soldiers without its consent, which was expected to be made at an appropriate time, officials said, adding that Bangladesh would have gained leverage in negotiation had they been kept detained.