Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma and Bangladesh continued their troop build up along the border though tension has come down in the Bay of Bengal over Burma's attempt to explore oil and gas in the disputed maritime zone, said a source close to Nasaka (Border security force).
Burma deployed force in border areas calling armed force from Kyak Taw Township in Arakan State and also called army battalions that deployed to Karen State from Arakan State earlier to fight the rebels.
The crisis in the Bay of Bengal ended following withdrawal of the exploration rig by Korean company Daewoo on November 8.
Although Burma withdrew its warships and the rig from the spot in the Bay of Bengal, it continues amassing troops on the frontiers with Bangladesh. In retaliation, Bangladesh also deployed troops on the Bangladesh-Burma border. Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), members accompanied by army personnel are keeping round-the-clock vigil on the borders, inside sources said.
Regarding the tense situation in the border areas, BDR Director General Maj Gen Sakil Ahamed visited various border outposts of Chittagong Hill Tracts areas and also held meetings with security officials, source close to BDR said.
In the mean time, on November 9, BDR held three Burmese nationals from the Bangladesh-Burma border namely Maung Buk Yee (26), U Ching Ko (25), and Maung Chin (23) for intruding into Bangladesh. They were handed over to the police. Local people also held two Burmese citizens on October 7 and they were produced before a court that sent them to jail. This is in retaliation to the killing four Bangladeshi woodcutters on the Burma-Bangladesh border before by Burma's border security force.
Though Bangladesh said that Burma had started withdrawing its troops from the frontier yesterday, but, according to reports, there is no information that Burma withdrew it forces from border areas.
According to the reports from Bloomberg, Burma withdrew its warships, exploration rig and vessels because the South Korean Company conducting the exploration work had completed its seismic survey and shifted to another place.
The State- run newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar also yesterday stated that "The necessary survey was completed.
