Naypyidaw, Aug 10 (IANS): Myanmar authorities on Monday deported an additional 159 Bangladeshi nationals after their verification process was completed.
According to a Myanmar foreign ministry statement, the Bangladeshi people were repatriated from Taung Pyao camp, Xinhua news agency reported.
Myanmar navy rescued over 200 boat people in Rakhine state's Maungtaw and over 700 in Ayeyawaddy region's Pyapon in May.
Myanmar authorities have sent back a total of 501 Bangladeshi boat people on four different occasions since June after citizenship verification.
Investigation by the Myanmar government found that some of them had fallen victim to human trafficking rings and crime syndicates after receiving offer of work in Thailand and Malaysia from illegal employers.