Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday warned that armed criminals and or militant groups in the hills of Chattogram will not be spared.

“No armed criminals and militants groups will be spared in the hills but the government will take initiative if any criminal wants to return to normal life,” said the minister while talking to reporters after attending the concluding ceremony of the training of 99th recruit batch of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) a Baitul Izzat BGB Training Centre in Satkania upazila here.

The BGB force has been strengthened through modern equipment to protect bordering area of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, he said.

“After assuming power, the current government has been working tirelessly to make the BGB a modern and international standard border guard and it has elevated to the three-dimensional force after bringing change in its organisational structure,” he said.

He also said that BGB is now capable of performing duties in water, land and air as the government has provided it modern surveillance equipment, active anti- tank guided weapons, ATV, APC, Riot control vehicle and air boats as part of smart border management.

Besides, the work to build a new training centre for them with modern facilities is underway in Chuadanga, he said.

Asaduzzaman also visited the parade of 539 soldiers under 99th recruiting batch.

Five hundred thirty nine soldiers including 37 women soldiers took oath at the parade.