Independent lawmaker Hazi Mohammad Salim yesterday questioned the efficiency of Border Guard Bangladesh, referring to the recent detainment of a BGB member by Myanmar Border Guard Police.
“We have seen a picture that the abducted BGB member Razzak was handcuffed [by Myanmar forces]; it means 16 crore people are handcuffed,” he told the parliament.
The BGB naik was abducted by Myanmar’s BGP forces on Wednesday morning from the Naf River near Jadimura area of Teknaf border. During the incident, another BGB member, Biplob, was shot.
Following the detainment, a picture of handcuffed BGB Naik Abdur Razzak was posted on the BGP Facebook page.
“What did they [BGB] do? They are not strong enough. If they were strong enough, this incident could not have taken place. What are they doing? Crores of taka have been spent behind them. It is tarnishing the government’s image,” Salim said.
On Friday, the BGB protested Razzak’s captivity and sent an e-mail and fax message to Myanmar, saying no international law allowed the detainment or torture of a neighbouring country’s border force member and this was an insult not only for the BGB but for the 16 crore people of Bangladesh.
The Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh also summoned Myanmar Ambassador to Dhaka Myo Mint Than on Thursday to protest Wednesday’s gunfire exchange and the abduction of Razzak.
This was the second time the ambassador was summoned this month. Earlier, on June 5 he was summoned to protest against Myanmar propaganda about Rohingya and Bangladesh.
In an unscheduled discussion, MP Salim said: “Without returning Razzak, without holding any diplomatic talk and without holding any flag meeting, BGP uploaded a picture of Razzak in Facebook … Myanmar BGP is a name of stigma before the world. They are involved with drug peddling and smuggling.”
The nearly 271km border between Bangladesh and Myanmar is divided into two parts – 64km zero line boundary on the Naf River and a 208km land boundary.
