Maungdaw: With the construction of the fence nearly complete along the western Burma border, authorities are now setting up checkposts at the mouth of every creek that flows into the Naff River, which demarcates Burma and Bangladesh,...
Maungdaw: With the construction of the fence nearly complete along the western Burma border, authorities are now setting up checkposts at the mouth of every creek that flows into the Naff River, which demarcates Burma and Bangladesh, to ensure all travelers are checked, said a local official.
"The construction of 40 miles of barbed wire fencing will be finished very soon, but the fence could not be constructed on the creeks. So the authorities constructed many permanent check posts beside the mouths of ever creek along the border in order to check the people traveling."
The authorities have constructed 12 miles of border fence from Maungdaw to Toon Chaung Village in southern Maungdaw, while 28 miles of fence have been constructed from northern Maungdaw up to Tuangbro, where the friendship bridge between Burma and Bangladesh is to be constructed.
"Along the border, particularly beside the Naff River, there are many creeks such as Pru Ma Chaung and Kan Yin Chaung Creek. The creeks are to be entrance gates of Burma to communicate and transport with Bangladesh. So the authorities set up the outposts beside the mouth of the creeks," he added.
Until now, people in Arakan have been able to travel to Bangladesh from anywhere on the western border by crossing the Naff River, but with construction of the border fence this travel will be restricted.
According to a government source, the Burmese military government has spent over 3,000 million kyat for the fence project, which is intended to prevent Muslims from traveling to Bangladesh without permission.
However, Burma has claimed that it is for common interest with Bangladesh in tackling smuggling on the western Burmese border.
Recently, Burmese Ambassador U Pe Than Oo told journalists in Dhaka that the construction of the border fence is not only for the benefit of Burma but also Bangladesh, because the fence is useful to prevent human and drug trafficking as well as cross-border smuggling. He made this statement after meeting with Bangladesh's foreign affairs minister on the border fence issue.
