Bangladesh Army Chief Says ‘Ready to Respond’ if Cross-Border Shelling From Myanmar Continues

[Black_cats]

Bangladesh Army Chief Says ‘Ready to Respond’ if Cross-Border Shelling From Myanmar Continues​

1 day ago

Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff General Shafiuddin Ahmed salutes while inspecting a guard of honor prior to a meeting with India's Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane (not pictured) in New Delhi on Sept. 7, 2021.

DHAKA—Bangladesh Army chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed said on Wednesday his personnel are ready to respond if the Myanmar military does not stop firing across the border in pursuit of Arakan Army (AA) fighters. He said he had sent his Myanmar counterpart a strong message complaining of junta forces’ shelling, shooting and jet and drone flights after a Rohingya person was killed and a number of others were injured by shelling in the hilly Bandarban area.

“We are ready to respond if it is needed. That’s for sure. I am in contact with all my stakeholders…” he told the “Dhaka Cantonment” program.

Following his comments, however, shooting and shelling along the border intensified on Thursday morning.

The Bangladesh army chief said he had established communication with his Myanmar military counterpart with the consent of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the country’s Defense Ministry, and sent a strong message.

Myanmar military regime troops and the AA, a local ethnic armed group, have been warring near the Bangladesh border in northern Rakhine State. Bangladesh has filed complaints with the regime for conducting fighter jet and drone flights over its territory, and for using mortars and machine guns to fire across the border, since August.

In the latest attack on Sept. 16, at least three mortar shells were fired into Bangladesh from Myanmar between 8:15 p.m. and 9 p.m., killing a 17-year-old boy, Mohammad Ikbal, and injuring six others, who were hospitalized.

Dhaka recently deployed both the Border Guard Bangladesh and Coast Guard along its land and water boundaries with Myanmar.
Attending a civil-military gathering, Gen. Shafiuddin said the Myanmar army chief replied to him in writing, through the defense attaché, that the Myanmar military was not responsible for the incidents, and that a rebel group was to blame.

“We are in close touch and we do not expect further deterioration of the situation. It will be peacefully solved,” he told the gathering, adding, “Should it be aggravating further, no worry, we are ready to respond to the situation.”

Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry said on Sept. 19 that it informed the Bangladeshi ambassador that the shells that landed on the Bangladeshi side were fired during attacks on border security posts by the AA and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), an insurgent group. It reiterated its call for Bangladesh to investigate AA and ARSA bases inside Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Home Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with security and law enforcement agencies at his secretariat office to discuss the situation on the Myanmar border.

Following the closed-door meeting, the minister said the army and other forces were ready to defend the country.

“We have seen a number of provocations. We think Bangladesh has no role as long as there is an internal conflict where [the] Arakan Army is fighting with [the Myanmar armed forces].”

In reply to a question in New York, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, who is accompanying the prime minister during the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, said the conflict was between two groups inside Myanmar.

“Two groups are fighting in there…they [the Myanmar junta] told us they did not [deliberately target anyone]. One or two [shells] landed [inside Bangladesh] … by mistake. We summoned them and they assured us that they would be careful,” the minister said.

The minister added that the border had been sealed and no one would be allowed to cross it.

Bangladesh Army Chief Says ‘Ready to Respond’ if Cross-Border Shelling From Myanmar Continues

The general said he had complained to his Myanmar counterpart about shooting and shelling across the border, as well as air incursions, amid junta-AA clashes in Rakhine.

www.irrawaddy.com

 

[bluesky]

Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry said on Sept. 19 that it informed the Bangladeshi ambassador that the shells that landed on the Bangladeshi side were fired during attacks on border security posts by the AA and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), an insurgent group. It reiterated its call for Bangladesh to investigate AA and ARSA bases inside Bangladesh.

বার্মাইয়া ব্যাটারা ঘুঘু দ্যাখছো , এখন ফান্দ কারে কয় বুঝ। রোহিঙ্গ্যাগো খেদাইছো , এখন আরাকানবাসীরা স্বাধীনতার যুদ্ধ শুরু করছে। অন্যায়টা কি?

Whether good or bad for BD, there are certainly AA bases inside the BD border in Bandarban.

Why should we think it is unwise for them to take shelter inside BD? The border is too thick with forests. How our BGB can control AA trespassing?

MM should talk to AA and ARSA and give Arakan autonomy. All parties are happy then. Rohingyas sheltering in BD can then go back to northern Arakan.

Unless MM stops persecuting Rohingya, ARSA and AA will fight together to regain the Arakan independence that was lost only in 1834 to the Burmese.

 

[Black_cats]

Bangladesh-Myanmar border situation​

UK to back Bangladesh in UN Security Council​

Raheed Ejaz
Dhaka
Published: 23 Sep 2022, 00: 43

Barbed wire fencing along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Tumbru, Bandarban Prothom Alo

Bangladesh has sought support from the global community to resolve the crisis along its border with Myanmar which emerged due to the fight between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army in Rakhine state. Following this, the United Kingdom has said it would support Bangladesh if it raised the issue in the UN Security Council.

Diplomats from at least 30 countries in Bangladesh were invited to the state guest house Padma to brief them on the border situation on Tuesday.

Diplomatic sources said that the UK had made the proposal in the meeting. Diplomats of Southeast Asian Cooperation Organisation (ASEAN) countries in Dhaka were also informed about the border situation the previous day.

Bangladesh is not an ASEAN member while Myanmar is one of the 10 member countries in this group. The Myanmar ambassador in Dhaka did not join the meeting.

While fighting continued between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, mortar shells fired from the country landed inside the Bangladesh territory. There have been casualties in Bangladesh territory as well.

The ambassador of Myanmar was summoned to the foreign ministry four times as the people living near the border are in constant panic.

According to diplomatic sources, acting foreign secretary Rear Admiral (retd.) Md. Khurshed Alam informed the diplomats about the border situation on Tuesday. In the meeting to exchange views, lasting more than an hour, Bangladesh sought cooperation of the international community to settle the situation.

We have to take enough preparation before raising the Bangladesh-Myanmar border situation in the UN Security Council. We have to fix what we want to achieve through this. We can get better results if we approach with appropriate preparations

Md. Humayun Kabir, Bangladesh’s former ambassador to the US

Bangladesh mentioned that it will raise the issue in the United Nations for a peaceful resolution of the border situation.

The UK High Commissioner Robert Dickson said that if Bangladesh wanted to raise the matter in the UN Security Council, the UK would support it as a permanent member.

Welcoming the proposal, Bangladesh said no final decision has been made as yet whether Bangladesh would go to the Security Council or not. However, the border situation between Bangladesh and Myanmar will be highlighted in prime minister Sheikh Hasina's speech in the General Assembly debate.

When asked, a Bangladeshi diplomat told Prothom Alo that there were two ways to raise any issue in the UN Security Council. One is to present it in the form of a resolution in the Security Council. There is also an opportunity for general discussion in the Security Council on any issue.
However, in both cases, there is no chance to proceed if any of the five permanent members of the council exercise its veto power.

BGB members recover the mortars landed in Bangladesh territory from Myanmar on 28 August 2022Prothom Alo file photo

Several diplomatic sources present at the meeting on Tuesday informed Prothom Alo that one of the western diplomats said there could be new influx of Rohingya people into Bangladesh due to the fight between Arakan Army and Myanmar Army. In this context, it was asked, whether Bangladesh would accept funds if collected on humanitarian grounds.

Bangladesh does not follow the principle of animosity with anyone including neighbouring countries. That’s why Bangladesh is relying on diplomacy to resolve the problem. Other alternatives could be thought of if the diplomacy fails at last

The foreign diplomats were told that Bangladesh would not give any opportunity of new influx of Rohingya people into its territory.

There is a political decision in this regard. As a result, Bangladesh would not take any new humanitarian assistance over the intrusion of any Rohingya.

Later, that top diplomat of the western country, mentioning that Bangladesh talked about relocating its people from Bandarban to a safer place, proposed for humanitarian assistance for the move.

To this, Bangladesh side thanked the diplomat and said that the government has no plan to relocate a large number of people from its territory along the Myanmar border. A very few people could be relocated for a very short term.

In this context, the government is not feeling any necessity of taking any humanitarian assistance from outside of the country.

A diplomatic source said, diplomats of two countries asked why Bangladesh is putting emphasis on diplomacy over choosing to show its strength to resolve the border situation.

An outpost of Myanmar's border security force, BGP, at Bangladesh-Myanmar border at Tumbruright point in Myanmar. Bangladesh's Pashchimkul village at this side of the borderProthom Alo

In response, the Bangladesh side said Bangladesh does not follow the principle of animosity with anyone including neighbouring countries. That’s why Bangladesh is relying on diplomacy to resolve the problem. Other alternatives could be thought of if the diplomacy fails at last.

Then one of the two diplomats asked whether the situation would be in favour of Bangladesh if the country would think of alternative means after failing in diplomacy? The Bangladesh side said Bangladesh will look for a peaceful solution.
Md. Humayun Kabir, Bangladesh’s former ambassador to the US considers the proposal of the UK, one of the pivotal member states of the UNSC, undoubtedly positive.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Thursday night he said, “We have to take enough preparation before raising the Bangladesh-Myanmar border situation in the UN Security Council. We have to fix what we want to achieve through this. We can get better results if we approach with appropriate preparation. But it won’t bring any result if Bangladesh can’t highlight the issue convincingly.”

* The report, originally published in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten by Farjana Liakat and Shameem Reza

UK to back Bangladesh in UN Security Council

Bangladesh has sought support from the global community to resolve the crisis along its border with Myanmar emerged due to the fight between Mynamar army and Arakan Army in Rakhine state

en.prothomalo.com

 

[KaiserX]

Pakistan should arm myanmar with long range standoff missiles. Upto 250-300km range. Ground based such as mrls or even fatah-1. For jf-17s mini-raads.

Dont forget AL govt has on multiple occaisions supported india.

 

[Abu Shaleh Rumi]

I have no confidence on our military. Corrupt politically appointed leadership, old and small arsenal. Our officers training is good tbh...

 

[Tom-tom]

Pakistan should arm myanmar with long range standoff missiles. Upto 250-300km range. Ground based such as mrls or even fatah-1. For jf-17s mini-raads.

Dont forget AL govt has on multiple occaisions supported india.

Pakistan tried stopping international aid to bdesh in recent times for sticking it's nose in bdesh domestic affairs.

We have a working relationship with India just like the way some of you pak men and woman jump the border to marry an indian

 

[mb444]

Bangladesh Army Chief Says ‘Ready to Respond’ if Cross-Border Shelling From Myanmar Continues​

1 day ago

Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff General Shafiuddin Ahmed salutes while inspecting a guard of honor prior to a meeting with India's Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane (not pictured) in New Delhi on Sept. 7, 2021.

DHAKA—Bangladesh Army chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed said on Wednesday his personnel are ready to respond if the Myanmar military does not stop firing across the border in pursuit of Arakan Army (AA) fighters. He said he had sent his Myanmar counterpart a strong message complaining of junta forces’ shelling, shooting and jet and drone flights after a Rohingya person was killed and a number of others were injured by shelling in the hilly Bandarban area.

“We are ready to respond if it is needed. That’s for sure. I am in contact with all my stakeholders…” he told the “Dhaka Cantonment” program.

Following his comments, however, shooting and shelling along the border intensified on Thursday morning.

The Bangladesh army chief said he had established communication with his Myanmar military counterpart with the consent of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the country’s Defense Ministry, and sent a strong message.

Myanmar military regime troops and the AA, a local ethnic armed group, have been warring near the Bangladesh border in northern Rakhine State. Bangladesh has filed complaints with the regime for conducting fighter jet and drone flights over its territory, and for using mortars and machine guns to fire across the border, since August.

In the latest attack on Sept. 16, at least three mortar shells were fired into Bangladesh from Myanmar between 8:15 p.m. and 9 p.m., killing a 17-year-old boy, Mohammad Ikbal, and injuring six others, who were hospitalized.

Dhaka recently deployed both the Border Guard Bangladesh and Coast Guard along its land and water boundaries with Myanmar.
Attending a civil-military gathering, Gen. Shafiuddin said the Myanmar army chief replied to him in writing, through the defense attaché, that the Myanmar military was not responsible for the incidents, and that a rebel group was to blame.

“We are in close touch and we do not expect further deterioration of the situation. It will be peacefully solved,” he told the gathering, adding, “Should it be aggravating further, no worry, we are ready to respond to the situation.”

Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry said on Sept. 19 that it informed the Bangladeshi ambassador that the shells that landed on the Bangladeshi side were fired during attacks on border security posts by the AA and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), an insurgent group. It reiterated its call for Bangladesh to investigate AA and ARSA bases inside Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Home Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with security and law enforcement agencies at his secretariat office to discuss the situation on the Myanmar border.

Following the closed-door meeting, the minister said the army and other forces were ready to defend the country.

“We have seen a number of provocations. We think Bangladesh has no role as long as there is an internal conflict where [the] Arakan Army is fighting with [the Myanmar armed forces].”

In reply to a question in New York, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, who is accompanying the prime minister during the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, said the conflict was between two groups inside Myanmar.

“Two groups are fighting in there…they [the Myanmar junta] told us they did not [deliberately target anyone]. One or two [shells] landed [inside Bangladesh] … by mistake. We summoned them and they assured us that they would be careful,” the minister said.

The minister added that the border had been sealed and no one would be allowed to cross it.

Bangladesh Army Chief Says ‘Ready to Respond’ if Cross-Border Shelling From Myanmar Continues

The general said he had complained to his Myanmar counterpart about shooting and shelling across the border, as well as air incursions, amid junta-AA clashes in Rakhine.

www.irrawaddy.com

Unfortunately there is nothing that inspires any confidence.... afterall the same guys allowed pillkhana and rohingya debacle under their watch.

Hate saying it but rot goes deep and I fear an existential crisis.

 

[bluesky]

I do not think that Burma is seeking war with BD. Neither is Bangladesh. However, the situation may deteriorate if MM planes keep on hitting BD area in Bandarban to kill AA guerrillas.

My personal position is this: if AA guerrillas are crossing the border to BD, it is the Burmese border guards who have failed to stop the incursion. And, so, Burmese military has no right to bomb our land.

It will be regarded as an act of aggression that must be repelled by the BD military forces.

 

[Destranator]

Bangladesh Army Chief Says ‘Ready to Respond’ if Cross-Border Shelling From Myanmar Continues​

1 day ago

Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff General Shafiuddin Ahmed salutes while inspecting a guard of honor prior to a meeting with India's Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane (not pictured) in New Delhi on Sept. 7, 2021.

DHAKA—Bangladesh Army chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed said on Wednesday his personnel are ready to respond if the Myanmar military does not stop firing across the border in pursuit of Arakan Army (AA) fighters. He said he had sent his Myanmar counterpart a strong message complaining of junta forces’ shelling, shooting and jet and drone flights after a Rohingya person was killed and a number of others were injured by shelling in the hilly Bandarban area.

“We are ready to respond if it is needed. That’s for sure. I am in contact with all my stakeholders…” he told the “Dhaka Cantonment” program.

Following his comments, however, shooting and shelling along the border intensified on Thursday morning.

The Bangladesh army chief said he had established communication with his Myanmar military counterpart with the consent of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the country’s Defense Ministry, and sent a strong message.

Myanmar military regime troops and the AA, a local ethnic armed group, have been warring near the Bangladesh border in northern Rakhine State. Bangladesh has filed complaints with the regime for conducting fighter jet and drone flights over its territory, and for using mortars and machine guns to fire across the border, since August.

In the latest attack on Sept. 16, at least three mortar shells were fired into Bangladesh from Myanmar between 8:15 p.m. and 9 p.m., killing a 17-year-old boy, Mohammad Ikbal, and injuring six others, who were hospitalized.

Dhaka recently deployed both the Border Guard Bangladesh and Coast Guard along its land and water boundaries with Myanmar.
Attending a civil-military gathering, Gen. Shafiuddin said the Myanmar army chief replied to him in writing, through the defense attaché, that the Myanmar military was not responsible for the incidents, and that a rebel group was to blame.

“We are in close touch and we do not expect further deterioration of the situation. It will be peacefully solved,” he told the gathering, adding, “Should it be aggravating further, no worry, we are ready to respond to the situation.”

Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry said on Sept. 19 that it informed the Bangladeshi ambassador that the shells that landed on the Bangladeshi side were fired during attacks on border security posts by the AA and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), an insurgent group. It reiterated its call for Bangladesh to investigate AA and ARSA bases inside Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Home Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with security and law enforcement agencies at his secretariat office to discuss the situation on the Myanmar border.

Following the closed-door meeting, the minister said the army and other forces were ready to defend the country.

“We have seen a number of provocations. We think Bangladesh has no role as long as there is an internal conflict where [the] Arakan Army is fighting with [the Myanmar armed forces].”

In reply to a question in New York, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, who is accompanying the prime minister during the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, said the conflict was between two groups inside Myanmar.

“Two groups are fighting in there…they [the Myanmar junta] told us they did not [deliberately target anyone]. One or two [shells] landed [inside Bangladesh] … by mistake. We summoned them and they assured us that they would be careful,” the minister said.

The minister added that the border had been sealed and no one would be allowed to cross it.

Bangladesh Army Chief Says ‘Ready to Respond’ if Cross-Border Shelling From Myanmar Continues

The general said he had complained to his Myanmar counterpart about shooting and shelling across the border, as well as air incursions, amid junta-AA clashes in Rakhine.

www.irrawaddy.com

BA is ready to respond - it is Myanmar's fault that they have not continued shelling.

 

[bluesky]

BA is ready to respond - it is Myanmar's fault that they have not continued shelling.

এক কথায় বিয়েও হয়না, আবার তালাকও হয়না।

I do not think either BD or MM is willing to go to war. There will be mediating parties before something happens.

MM is not at war with BD but is with its rebel groups, AA and ARSA. They attack MM camps and cross the border to hide. But, it is the MM border guards who have the responsibility to seek them out while they are inside MM.

MM military has no right to interfere with the BD sovereignty and therefore by international norms cannot attack them inside BD.

 

[VikingRaider]

Pakistan should arm myanmar with long range standoff missiles.

Arm them with NUKE instead. Because I don't think Myanmar will buy anything from Pakistan without Chinese order! Pakistan isn't that powerful to arm anyone! So calm down! Don't feel so big , you will lost credibility!

 

[mulj]

If your army is strong enough you have every right to invade them.

 

[bluesky]

If your army is strong enough you have every right to invade them.

War is a last resort.