Myanmar massed its soldiers along the Tumbru and Ghundum border opposite Naikkongchhari upazila in Bangladesh, just as when the verdict of an international arbitration over the maritime boundary with the neighbouring country was going to be delivered.Tensions ran high in the Bangladesh-Myanmar border areas after the news of army deployment by Myanmar spread.
Myanmar authorities suddenly began to build up troop deployment near zero line of the Bangladesh-Myanmar border since Tuesday morning.
Witnesses and inhabitants of Naikkongchhori upazila in Bandarban hill district said Myanmar increased the number of their soldiers Wednesday.
They put the number at over two thousand.
Union Parishad Chairman Dipak Barua of Ghundum Union under Naikkongchhori upazila told journalists that Myanmar amassed soldiers opposite his union.
“But the reason behind the deployment of army is yet to be known,” he said.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Commanding Officer of 17 Border Guard Battalion in Cox’sbazar Lt Col Mohammad Khalequzzaman acknowledged the fact of army deployment by Myanmar to this correspondent on Wednesday evening.
Myanmar has already brought together nearly five battalions of soldiers in Unciprang, Dhekibonia and Mehdai areas near Bangladesh border, he said.
Khalequzzaman said, “The matter was already brought to the notice of the Director- General of BGB Tuesday.”
After that, the BGB ordered its all officers and jawans to stay alert at Tumbru and Ghundum borders.
Witnesses said that the deployment of the Myanmar army opposite the Bangladesh border appears to be a war preparation. Source :
