Bangladeshi citizens in extreme insecurity along Myanmar border: Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday expressed concern that Bangladeshi citizens are in extreme insecurity along the Myanmar border as people are getting killed and injured by bullets and mortar shells.

Speaking at a press briefing at the party‍‍`s Nayapaltan central office, he also blamed the government for the death of a Bangladeshi citizen in a mortar shell fired by Myanmar.

“No man or woman is safe inside Bangladesh along the border. People are losing their lives after being hit by mortar shells. We want to see necessary efforts and activities to ensure the security of the country and its people and make the sovereignty stronger,” the BNP leader said.

He questioned as to why a Bangladeshi woman was killed by a mortar shell fired by another country. “Where is the appropriate response to the incident? The government can‍‍`t even lodge a written protest as it’s a weak regime which has no public support."

Rizvi said the Awami League government cannot do anything to deescalate the border tension since it has been in power depending on the state apparatus.   “They fear their (foreign) masters, but they use guns to terrorize the people of the country.”

A tense situation has been prevailing along the border between Bandarban‍‍`s Naikhongchhari Ghumdhum and Tumbru amid fierce fighting, skirmishes and gunfire between the armed forces of the military junta and insurgent groups inside Myanmar for nearly two weeks.

Over 300 Myanmar forces and border guards have so far taken shelter in Bangladesh as of Wednesday noon in the wake of conflicts along the border.

Meanwhile, two people--a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man-- were killed when mortar shells from the Myanmar side landed on a kitchen at Jalpaitli village of Ghumdhum union in Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban on Monday.

Rizvi said the lives and land of the people of Bangladesh are now unprotected as blood has been shed in the border areas of Bangladesh. “People are entering Bangladesh in groups from the neighbouring country. But the Bangladesh government is silent. Even, the government doesn’t dare to protest when a BGB member was killed in BSF firing.”

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s call for exercising restrain and maintain peace now threatens the country‍‍`s sovereignty. “As a result, our border guards are retreating every day, putting the people of Bangladesh in danger."

Rizvi claimed that during the rules of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, the border areas of Bangladesh were secure and the people were safe.

He said Awami again usurped power through a farce in the name of election on January 7 which was turned down by the country’s 95 percent people. “Only the prime minister of the dummy government and her cohorts called the January 7 election free and fair. But it was the worst mockery of the century.”