Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burmese authorities have denied mobilization of army personnel along the Burma-Bangladesh border, when the two countries’ security forces met in Maungdaw yesterday in a flag meeting, according to a trader from Maungdaw, who has good relations with the Nasaka.
The meeting was held in the wake of escalating tension along the border caused by reported massive deployment of troops by Burma. However, the flag meeting mainly focussed on the recent developments along the border to defuse tension, according to an official BDR source.
On the other hand, the Bangladeshi security forces demanded the nine fishing boats, which were abducted by the Burmese naval force recently, while fishing in the Bay of Bengal near the St. Martin Island. But, all the fishermen were sent back to Bangladesh with a boat, sources said.
On the Burmese side, Nasaka area No.6 Commander, Major Nay Myo, led an 11- member team at the meeting while a 10-member team of BDR was led by Teknaf battalion No.42 Commander Lt. Col. Mozammel Hossain.
The hour-long meeting from 10:00 am was held in a cordial atmosphere and came to an end at around 2:30 pm. Burma explained that the presence of Nasaka along the border is usual as per their rules. About the erection of barbed wire fence by Burma along the border, Major Nay Myo said it was their internal matter and the work to construct the fence would continue on their territory, said Col Muzammel.
Col Muzammel also said that the Nasaka team had assured them of taking back their nationals, who had crossed over to Bangladesh. They requested BDR not to brand the Burmese Muslims as Arakanese Rohingya, which they feel is an aspersion. Responding to the points raised at the meeting by BDR team, they also requested the BDR team to term the Muslims of their country as Myanmar Muslims. It was mentioned at the meeting that the organizations of Arakanese Rohingyas were engaged in propaganda through media in Bangladesh and in the world in their bid to breach the existing friendly relations between Burma and Bangladesh, according to the BDR source.
The meeting also agreed to effectively check illegal trespass and cross-border smuggling.
Eleven Bangladeshi nationals, who completed their jail terms after being caught by Nasaka, were handed over to BDR at the meeting. The poor men had been held as two had crossed the border for collecting wood and the 9 others were fishermen.
Yesterday, a friendly volleyball match was held between the Nasaka of area No. 3 of Maungdaw Township and the BDR battalion No. 17 of Cox’s Bazaar of at Taungbro, a sub-town of Maungdaw Township. A Nasaka team is also expected to come to Bangladesh to participate in a similar friendly match soon, they informed.
“The meeting was very fruitful and both the sides agreed to maintain peace and stability along the border. The Myanmar team completely denied the reports of troops build up or movement,” Sector Commander of BDR Chittagong Didar Alam Chowdhury said. “Tension created along the border is now over,” the Sector Commander added.
Bangladesh and Burma are separated by a 271 kilometer long border. However, border disputes are common between the two neighbours.
