Ninety three Bengalis arrested together on a boat off Dawei coast in Dawei District, Thaninthayi Region, on November 25 will be sent back home, according to the region police force.
The boat carrying those Bengalis was stopped and seized west of Longlonboak island by a naval ship. According to investigation, the arrested Bengalis hailed from Dapaing Village, Thechaung Village-tract, Sittwe Township, Rakhine State and trying to leave for Malaysia by motorboat. The union government directed to send them back home.
"Under the instruction of the union government, we will send them back to Rakhine State. But the date we will send them is not yet known," said Lieutenant Police Colonel Sein Win from Taninthayi Region Police Force.
The boat carried 61 adults (28 men and 33 women) and 32 children (22 boys and 10 girls). The 93 Bengalis including their group leader were questioned by officials from the immigration department, police and other relevant departments.
The group leader said their boat together with another boat carrying about 60 Bengalis left at about 2 am on November 18. Another boat was seized near Dapaing Village and their boat managed to escape, he said. After being drifted in sea for about a week, their boat was seized while trying to seek the route to Malaysia. He said they had to pay a broker K25 million (K500,000 per person).
