Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday said that some Myanmar separatist groups including the Arakan Army were operating inside Bangladesh border but could not confirm why the separatists had launched the attack on BGB personnel on Wednesday.
“Some separatists may have presence in the area as the adjacent areas along the border are mostly inhabited by the Rakhine people,” Kamal told the Dhaka Tribune after visiting the remote area of Barha Madok in Thanchi of Bandarban.
BGB chief Maj Gen Abdul Aziz, who accompanied the minister during the visit, however, chose to differ.
At a briefing in Dhaka, he said that separatist group Arakan Army might use Bangladesh land for trespassing only as the area is surrounded by Myanmar border from three sides.
“They may enter Bangladesh when chased by the Myanmar law enforcers and then enter Myanmar through the other side. They get this scope since the border areas are unprotected,” he added.
Asked about the combined operations by the members of the Bangladesh Army and the BGB, the minister said that the drives would continue until further notice.
“We have got positive response from the Myanmar Army after we requested them [through Myanmar embassy in Dhaka] to seal off the border. They also assured us of taking strict action if the separatists try to enter Myanmar,” Kamal told the Dhaka Tribune.
Asked about the reason behind the attack, the minister said that the intelligence agencies were working on the matter.
He added that his ministry was scrutinising a proposal paced by the BGB to set up outposts at 107 spots along the Myanmar border.
On the other hand, the BGB director general said that around 10-12 platoon BGB members and five platoons of army personnel would be deployed in the area by today.
Some army men were sent to the spot immediately after the gunfight ensued on Wednesday morning. A BGB naik was injured in the gunfight. He was later flown to Chittagong Combined Military Hospital for treatment.
Early yesterday, the joint forces detained a person named Aung Aung Rakhine from Rajasthali area of Rangamati for his suspected involvement with the Arakan Army. The law enforcers said that they had recovered three uniforms of the separatist group from his possession.
Quoting locals, the BGB chief said that some six to seven operatives of the Arakan Army were injured in the incident.
He also refuted the claim made by the Myanmar Army that BGB provides training to their separatist groups. “Now it is clear that the claim is false. If we trained them, they should not attack us.”
During the visit, the DG said that they had found blank shells of rifles and machine guns, empty cartridges and gun belts left on the spot. He suspect that some 50 members of the Arakan Army took part in the attack.
