Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui said, “We will never back down to protect the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.”
BGB director general said this during a briefing with journalists during the handover of 330 Myanmar nationals, including BGP, who had taken refuge in Bangladesh at Inani, Cox’s Bazar, to the border guarding force of the country on Thursday afternoon.
In the morning, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) under the overall supervision of BGB Cox’s Bazar Region, 330 Myanmar nationals including 302 BGP members, 04 BGP family members, 02 army personnel, 18 immigration members and 04 civilians who took refuge in Bangladesh were released by the Border Guard Force of that country. Handed over to Border Guard Police (BGP).At that time, Myanmar’s ambassador to Bangladesh, Aung Kyaw Moe, was present.
During the handover ceremony, BGB Director General told reporters, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has given us an independent, sovereign and integral Bangladesh. Border Guard Bangladesh is determined to protect the sovereignty, integrity and security of that independent Bangladesh and to protect the border as well as the security of the people and property of the people bordering the border. BGB patrols and manpower have been increased at Elkshaya border. The BGB is constantly monitoring the border situation from a high alert position. At present the border situation is completely under the control of BGB. No matter the situation, I will never back down to protect the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country. Not a single Myanmar citizen will be allowed to enter Bangladesh through the border.
The BGB Director General expressed his firm commitment to deal with any situation arising along the border along with the local administration, public representatives, civil society, journalists and all levels of people along the border. As well as the repatriation of the BGP members who have taken refuge in Bangladesh has been successfully completed, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Cox’s Bazar District Administration, District Police and related public and private organizations are sincereBGB Director General thanked.It should be noted that for a long time there has been a conflict between the various forces of the junta government and their armed rebel groups inside Myanmar. Most recently, the impact of this internal conflict in Myanmar also reached the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. In continuation of this, Myanmar’s armed rebel groups attacked BGP’s Tumbru Right and Left camps on the opposite border of Tumbru, Ghumdhum and Baishphadi in Naikxyongchari Upazila of Bandarban from last February 4. At the same time, shootings and clashes also took place in Kaichingrong, Maidu, Guduchhara and Mongdu areas opposite the borders of Balukhali, Palongkhali and Teknaf upazila in Ukhia upazila of Cox’s Bazar, opposite the border of Hoikong, Hnila and Shahparirdwip. As a result, Myanmar’s BGP, army, police, immigration and civilian members fled in fear of their lives and crossed the border and surrendered to the BGB with weapons. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was patient and ordered the BGB to work to control the border situation while maintaining international relations. Following the instructions of the Prime Minister, under the supervision of the BGB, the members who escaped from Myanmar and took refuge in Bangladesh were completely disarmed and provided safe shelter to them. Among them, 9 BGP members who were seriously injured due to gunshots were treated at Chittagong Medical College Hospital and Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital.
According to the decision of the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 11, instructions were given to BGB to repatriate 330 members including BGP to Myanmar. In this regard, under the leadership of Colonel Mehdi Hossain Kabir, sector commander of Ramu sector of BGB, the representative of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the captain of Cox’s Bazar Battalion (34 BGB), the captain of Teknaf Battalion (2 BGB) and the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of Cox’s BazarA transfer committee consisting of 7 members was constituted.The said committee quickly communicates and coordinates with the concerned authorities of Myanmar and completes all the processes of repatriation of BGP and other members who took refuge in Bangladesh to Myanmar. Following this, this morning, a 5-member BGP delegation led by Myanmar Border Guard Police Colonel Myo Thura Naung arrived at Inani Navy jetty in Cox’s Bazar and arrested 330 Myanmar citizens who had taken refuge in Bangladesh from BGBtaken to Myanmar.
