Teknaf, Bangladesh: Women security personnel (Ansars) have been deployed along the Burma-Bangladesh border to help Bangladesh Rifle (BDR) to check smuggling. They will check female suspects starting July 22, said a security officer from Teknaf.

A 15-member women’s security team (Ansar) is working in Teknaf Land Port, Bangladesh-Myanmar Transit gate and Dum Dum Meah check point of Cox's Bazaar-Teknaf highway, he said.

The women Ansars are working with BDR personnel to stop and check women smugglers carrying various types of goods including drugs, he added.

A meeting of the women Ansars was held at Teknaf upazila, Ansar in the Village Defence Party (VDP) office on July 12 for deployment along the border. Abdur Rahman, acting, upazila Ansar and VDP officer officiated, while Asis Kumar Benarjey, Deputy Director, Ansar and VDP, Cox's Bazaar was present at the function as chief guest, according to an Ansar officer.      

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammazeal Hossain, commanding officer, 42 BDR rifle battalion, Teknaf said women Ansars must play a vital role in anti smuggling programmes. They will be responsible for women smugglers.

“It is good for women passengers who visit Bangladesh from Burma as security personnel check all at the Burma-Bangladesh transit gate,” said a trader who came to Bangladesh for trading.

Burma-Bangladesh border trade land port gate

“The women security personnel must carefully check women who come to Bangladesh for treatment as some are in very serious condition and need to reach the hospital as early as possible. But, the women security personnel check serious patients for a long time,” the trader said.  

Ansar is an Arabic word which denotes helping or assisting people or in Bangla ‘Sahajjokari’. The mission of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP is to ensure safety and security of rural Bangladesh, mobilize the force for socio- economic development and to come under operational control of the army during emergency/war.