The New Nation - Internet Edition
BDR on high alert as Mayanmar restarts border fencing
Chittagong Bureau
The border force of Myanmar - Nasaka - is learnt to have restarted barbed-wire fencing of border along Tumru and Naikhangchari in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) without any discussion with its counterpart Bangladesh Rifles (BDR).
Similar moves by Nasaka were stalled twice in March and August this year following strong protests from Bangladesh Rifles - here in Tekhnaf and Bandarban.
The Myanmar government first initiated fencing of its border along Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in early November last year when a frigate of Myanmar Navy entered the water territory of Bangladesh and was chased by Bangladesh Navy.
Sources quoting the residents in the border areas said that Nasaka has already mobilized heavily armed troops in the areas and installed hundreds of concrete pillars for fencing. Engineering crops of Myanmar military is reportedly supervising the initiative.
The Myanmar military has already brought nearly 100 kilometers of the 288 kilometers borderline of the two neighboring countries under barbed wire fencing. Nasaka might complete fencing of the total border under its current spell of the move planned long before, it is speculated.
Acting Commander of the 17-Rifles Battalion in the region Major Sajjad told reporters that every single action of Nasaka has been under the keen watch of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR).
He also claimed that BDR officials in Dhaka have been kept informed of the events and the developments taking place in the remote hills from time to time.
"The battalion is also kept on high alert for interventions if asked to do so from the top," he told the reporters.
Troop mobilization at the remote border belt by the Myanmar government and all out preparation by the rifles men to tackle probable untoward incident spread panic among the border residents.
Some of the families have moved away from the areas close to the border.
Naikhongchari correspondent of a local Bengali daily here in the port city claimed to have interviewed a member of the Crops.
The Nasaka man interviewed reported to have admitted that the Myanmar government has ordered the barbed fencing at Ghumdhum to Tumru border in Naikhongchari of Chittagong Hill Tracts mainly to stop smuggling and trespassing of the Rohingas into Bangladesh.
"We know nothing about the international law and it's violation by the ongoing border fencing bid. We're carrying out the order from the top," the Nasaka man reportedly told in the interview.
Commander of Naikhongchari Upazila Unit of Muktijoddah Sangshad and Headmaster of Ghumdhum High School Khairul Bashar told reporters that Mymanmar military have set up several camps and built trenches along the borderline and electricity connections were also given at the camps.
"Physical and logistic arrangements of the Myanmar military especially in the borders are indications of their preparations for longer stay and implementation of the fencing project," Khairul Bashar observed.
