Bangladesh has proposed constructing a barbed-wire fence along a 109-kilometer stretch of the Myanmar border to strengthen border security, Interior Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said, describing the security situation along the border as “extremely risky.”
The minister made the remarks in response to questions from journalists at the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) headquarters in Dhaka on the afternoon of July 20.
Salahuddin Ahmed said clashes between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar military have been continuing for a long time on the other side of the border, while the RSO, ARSA and other armed groups are also active in the area.
He added that the impact of these conflicts sometimes extends into Bangladesh.
The minister explained that the proposal to construct the barbed-wire fence was made in consideration of drug smuggling, instability along the border and incidents in which Bangladeshi citizens have been killed by artillery fire from across the border.
However, he said the government has not yet made a final decision on the proposal.
Regarding push-ins from India, the interior minister said Bangladesh had not allowed anyone to be forcibly pushed into the country through illegal means.
He said attempts to carry out such push-ins have so far been successfully prevented through cooperation between the BGB and residents of border areas.
Although some incidents of illegal entry have occurred, necessary action has been taken against them, and no one has been allowed to be forcibly pushed into Bangladesh, Salahuddin Ahmed added.
Ref/Photo: Dhaka Tribune
