Gondon, Bangladesh: A flag meeting was held between Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Nasaka Burma’s border security force on January 31, regarding theft of barbed wire, concrete pillars and cement from the Burma side by Bangladeshi people, said a local elder from the border area on condition of anonymity.

The flag meeting was held at Gondon BDR camp with Nasaka officers from Taungbro Right Nasaka camp of Maungdaw Township, Arakan State attending.

At the meeting, a Nasaka officer spoke of the theft of barbed wire and cement from the Burma side by Bangladeshi people and requested the BDR to provide security and stop Bangladeshis entering Burma. BDR said that they are on red alert, according to a close aide of BDR.   

Recently, the Burmese military authorities brought a lot of barbed wire, concrete pillars and cement to Maungdaw Township from Rangoon for fencing parts of the Burma-Bangladesh border and left it on the bank of the Naf River. The Nasaka and army stepped up forced labor for construction of the fence.

The engineering unit of the army on duty for fence construction secretly sold barbed wire and cement to the Bangladeshi small traders through brokers. One coil of barbed wire (25 kg) is being sold at Taka 300 to the Bangladeshi people by soldiers on duty in the store room. But, 25 kg of barbed wire costs Taka 200 in Burma. They also sold cement to the Bangladeshi people at Taka 300 per bag which costs Taka 250 in Burma. They sold it in Bangladesh currency, said a trader from border area who declined to be named.  

On an understanding with the army, some Bangladeshi people went to the Burma side with bottles of liquor to buy barbed wire and cement. Taking advantage, some Bangladeshi people stole barbed wire, pillars and cement from the store, while the army personnel were drinking.

A local from Burma side said, “It is proof how corrupt the army personnel are.”