BGB remains alert on Myanmar frontier: Kamal

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CHITTAGONG/DHAKA, March 1, 2018 (BSS) – Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal today ruled out possibilities of any disorder against the backdrop of Myanmar’s military buildup on borders saying paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were on alert on the frontiers.

“We have talked with concerned authorities of Myanmar (over the military buildup) . . . they informed us the drill is being carried out as some Rohingyas of their country are staying at no man’s land,” he told newsmen at BGB’s Bitul Izzat training centre in Chittagong.

Kamal added: “There is no reason to be worried about . . . they (Myanmar force) have no scope to create anarchy intruding Bangladesh.”

The home minister met the media after attending a parade of newly recruited BGB at the scene at Satkania of Chittagong.

His comments came as international media reports said hundreds of Rohingyas living in no man’s crossed into Bangladesh leaving their makeshift camp as Myanmar soldiers used loudhailers to threaten them.

In a media briefing, meanwhile, at their Pilkhana headquarters in Dhaka, the BGB said they also mobilised extra forces on the Myanmar borders keeping on alert in view of the situation on the frontiers.

BGB’s deputy director Brigadier General Majibur Rahman told the media briefing that Bangladesh border force asked its Myanmar counterpart to join an “urgent flag meeting” to clarify “what other reasons prompted them to moblise their troops”.

“We cannot tell you the exact number of (Myanmar soldiers mobilized on borders) but whatever the number it is more than what is normal . . . we have sent them protest notes (as well),” Rahman told the media briefing.

The official, however, said they hoped the situation to be resolved soon.

Foreign ministry officials, on the other hand, said they convened Myanmar ambassador Lwin Oo to the foreign office and handed over to him a formal protest note over the unusual security buildup on its borders.

“We sought Myanmar’s clarification and told him (envoy) that this development was not good for bilateral relations . . . a note verbal was handed over to him protesting their troops mobilisaiton,” an official familiar with the process said.

Officials familiar with the situation said the Myanmar made the extra security buildup on borders ignoring a request made by Bangladesh during the last month’s home minister level meeting in Dhaka.

Bangladesh, he said, asked Myanmar to abstain from such actions during that meeting.