BGB, Coast Guard on high alert

Bangladeshi Border Guard (BGB) and Bangladesh Coast Guards have increased their surveillance around the Myanmar border, particularly the Naf river, out of concern for a potential new wave of inflow of citizens of Myanmar.

Locals claim that the situation in Myanmar is still tense and that more Myanmar citizens, especially the Rohingya, may try to cross the Naf at any time in search of safety. As a result, members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard and border troops have been spotted patrolling the border area over the past few days.

In the midst of weeks of intense combat between Arakan Army (AA), an insurgent group that wants to create a separate state in Rakhine, and Myanmar military, both forces intercepted several arriving boats carrying Myanmar nationals and diverted them towards Myanmar last week.

According to Coast Guard sources, since last Tuesday, at least 100 Rohingyas have been forced back when they tried to enter Bangladesh across the Naf near the Teknaf ferry station in Cox‍‍`s Bazar.

The chief of the Coast Guard‍‍`s Teknaf station, Lt Commander Lutfur Lahil Majid, stated that they are on high alert in the prevailing situation.

Since the violence started a few weeks ago, there haven‍‍`t been any reports of a significant Rohingya inflow, but at least 330 soldiers and border police officers from Myanmar have escaped and sought safety. 

The procedure of their repatriation, which will be completed in two to three days, is currently being discussed between Dhaka and Naypyidaw, according to Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Md. Tofail Islam.

As many as 23 citizens of Myanmar were detained by Bangladeshi law enforcement after they brought guns into the country, according to Chattogram Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Noore Alam Meena.

Of them, 22 were ordered on police remand for three days each by a Cox‍‍`s Bazar court on Monday. Sadek, another person from Myanmar, had his request for remand denied due to health concerns.