A delegation from Myanmar, led by Ambassador Aung Kyaw Moe, arrived at the Naval jetty ghat in Inani, Cox’s Bazar district, on Thursday (February 15, 2024), aboard a speedboat at 9:50 am, to repatriate 330 members of the Myanmar security forces and others who had sought refuge in Bangladesh.  The group had crossed into Bangladesh, fleeing clashes between the Myanmar military and armed rebel groups. Read: 330 BGP members, others to be handed over to Myanmar authorities Thursday: BGB  The repatriation, supervised by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), involves individuals including members of the Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP). The process was earlier confirmed by BGB's public relations officer, Shariful Islam, who also noted that the transfer involved six buses transporting the individuals from Nhila and Ghumdum points to Inani earlier that day. Home Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, had previously indicated that the repatriation of these individuals was imminent, amidst ongoing border tensions and skirmishes in the Bandarban's Naikhongchhari area. In light of the conflict, the BGB and Coast Guard have ramped up surveillance efforts to prevent further crossings. This border tension has led to casualties on the Bangladeshi side, including the deaths of a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man due to mortar shell impacts from Myanmar. An unidentified body was also found on February 8 in the Rahmaterbil border area of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, as reported by Md Shamim Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Ukhiya Police Station. Read: DMP forms 'quick response team' to ease movements of SSC examinees   Additionally, on February 9, BGB personnel detained 23 Rohingyas with 12 firearms and 868 rounds of ammunition as they attempted to cross into Bangladesh. A case was subsequently filed under the Arms Act at Ukhiya police station, with a court ordering a 3-day remand for each individual involved.

In a statement during his visit to the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Cox’s Bazar today (February 07, 2024), Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, newly appointed Director General of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), declared the force’s high alert status to address any potential border-related incidents. During the visit, Major General Siddiqui underscores the BGB’s commitment to maintaining security and sovereignty while adhering to humanitarian principles and fostering positive international relations. “The border situation is fully under control, and we are dedicated to managing it with patience, humanitarian considerations, and in a manner that respects our international obligations, as directed by the Prime Minister. Under no circumstances will illegal entry into Bangladesh be permitted,” Major General Siddiqui emphasized. His remarks came during a thorough inspection of the border outposts at Tambru and Ghumdum areas within the Naikhongchhari upazila. This tour included assessments of the operational conditions and morale among BGB personnel stationed along this critical frontier. No more Rohingyas to be allowed in: New BGB Chief Major General Siddiqui’s directive to the border guards highlighted the importance of professionalism and vigilance in safeguarding the border against any arising challenges. Furthermore, the BGB Director General took a moment to inquire about the welfare of Myanmar security forces and army personnel who have sought refuge in Bangladesh during the ongoing conflicts in Myanmar. To date, Bangladesh has provided asylum to 264 members of the Myanmar forces, including Border Guard Police (BGP), army personnel, and immigration officials, amidst ongoing clashes with the Arakan Army. The BGB has responsibly disarmed the asylum-seeking Myanmar forces, ensuring their safety and security within Bangladesh’s borders. This series of actions by the BGB and its leadership reflects Bangladesh’s balanced approach to border security, combining strict enforcement with a compassionate response to regional instability and humanitarian needs. Police working with BGB to ensure security at Bangladesh-Myanmar border: IGP

As many as 264 Myanmar security forces have fled to Bangladesh amid clashes between the country’s military and the armed rebel group, Arakan Army. A total of 264 Myanmar forces including BGP, army personnel and immigration officials have taken shelter in Bangladesh, said Shariful Islam, public relations officer (PRO) of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The Myanmar forces have entered Bangladesh through Tumbru border in Naikhangchhari upazila of Bandarban district with arms and ammunition. The BGB disarmed them and took them to a safe shelter, he said. Read: No more Rohingyas to be allowed in: New BGB Chief The BGB PRO said members of the BGP started taking shelter in Bangladesh since Sunday morning. A Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man were killed following an explosion of a mortar shell at a house in Jolpaitoli under Ghumdum union of Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban district on Monday. Amid the ongoing unrest along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, academic activities of five government primary schools in Naikhangchhari upazila have been suspended. The government has taken the decision considering the safety of the teachers and students. A notification was issued in this regard on Monday. Meanwhile, Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, newly appointed director general of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), has said, “The border situation is now under control and we are trying to deal with the situation as humanely as possible while maintaining international relations.”   Until Monday night, 115 Myanmar forces had taken shelter in Bangladesh and 114 security personnel arrived till Tuesday morning while 35 more entered in the afternoon, he said. Besides, 65 Rohingyas, who tried to enter the country by boats, were sent back, he said. “No more Rohingya will be allowed,” said the BGB chief. Read: Under-trial prisoner ‘tortured to death’ in Chattogram jail  Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, earlier today,  detailed the collaborative efforts of Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and local administration to maintain law and order at the Ghumdhum border in Bandarban, following directives from the government.   The Arakan Army is the well-trained and well-armed military wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority movement, which seeks autonomy from Myanmar’s central government. It is a member of the armed ethnic group alliance that recently gained strategic territory in Myanmar’s northeast. Along with the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army — operating together under the name of the Three Brotherhood Alliance — it launched a coordinated offensive on October 27, 2023 in northern Shan state along the border with China. That offensive has posed the greatest battlefield challenge to Myanmar’s military rulers since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. The alliance says it has seized more than 250 military outposts, five official border crossings and a major city near the Chinese border, along with several important towns, according to an AP report. Rakhine is where a brutal army counterinsurgency operation in 2017 drove about 740,000 members of the Muslim Rohingya minority to seek safety across the border in Bangladesh. Rakhine is also known by its older name of Arakan.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday (February 06, 2024) summoned Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh, Aung Kyaw Moe, and strongly protested the incidents along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. Director General (Myanmar wing) at the Foreign Ministry, Miah Md. Mainul Kabir, handed over the protest note to Myanmar Ambassador during a meeting at the state guest House Padma. Two people, including a woman, were killed in reported shelling on a house at Jolpaitoli under Ghumdum union of Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban district on Monday. Read: What Foreign Minister said on Myanmar’s BGP men taking shelter in Bangladesh One of the deceased was identified as Hosne Ara, 50, wife of Badsha Mia while the identity of the other could not be known immediately. Myanmar has reached out to Bangladesh to take back members of Border Guard Police (BGP) who entered Bangladesh territory to save themselves amid conflicts there with the Arakan Army. Read more: BGB, BGP regional commander-level conference begins in Cox’s Bazar "We are in constant communication. They want to take back their BGP members. The Myanmar government is communicating with Bangladesh as they (BGP members) want to go back. There is communication from both ends," Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

Seven more members of Myanmar's Border Guard Police (BGP) have fled to Bangladesh amid clashes between the Myanmar military and the armed rebel group, Arakan Army. With them, the number of BGP personnel who took shelter in Bangladesh so far stands at 113. Shariful Islam, public relations officer (PRO) of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), said that 113 BGP members have so far entered Bangladesh through Tumbru border in Naikhangchhari upazila of Bandarban district with arms and ammunition, due to the ongoing clashes inside Myanmar. The BGB disarmed them and took them to a safe shelter, he said. The BGB PRO said members of the BGP started taking shelter in Bangladesh since Sunday (February 04, 2024) morning. Read more: 2 killed in 'shelling' in Bandarban's Ghumdhum The Arakan Army is the well-trained and well-armed military wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority movement, which seeks autonomy from Myanmar’s central government. It is a member of the armed ethnic group alliance that recently gained strategic territory in Myanmar’s northeast. Along with the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army — operating together under the name of the Three Brotherhood Alliance — it launched a coordinated offensive on October 27, 2023 in northern Shan state along the border with China. That offensive has posed the greatest battlefield challenge to Myanmar’s military rulers since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. The alliance says it has seized more than 250 military outposts, five official border crossings and a major city near the Chinese border, along with several important towns, according to an AP report. Rakhine is where a brutal army counterinsurgency operation in 2017 drove about 740,000 members of the Muslim Rohingya minority to seek safety across the border in Bangladesh. Rakhine is also known by its older name of Arakan. Read more: What Foreign Minister said on Myanmar’s BGP men taking shelter in Bangladesh

Myanmar has reached out to Bangladesh to take back members of Border Guard Police (BGP) who entered Bangladesh territory to save themselves amid conflicts there with the Arakan Army. "We are in constant communication. They want to take back their BGP members. The Myanmar government is communicating with Bangladesh as they (BGP members) want to go back. There is communication from both ends," Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Thirty-seven more members of Myanmar’s border police have taken shelter in Bangladesh border amid a conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. With this, the total number of BGP personnel who took shelter in Bangladesh stood at 95 till this morning (February 5, 2024), said Shariful Islam, public relations officer at Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Headquarters. Number of Myanmar border guards who fled to Bangladesh stands at 103: BGB The Foreign Minister said Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh and Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister have communicated in this regard and Myanmar conveyed that they would take back the BGP members. “How they will be taken back – by air or by road – is now being discussed. You know that the members of Myanmar security forces also entered Indian territory earlier, but they were sent back by air. We will also send them back,” Hasan said. Responding to a question, the foreign minister said that the border is secure. ‘WE WELCOME BIDEN’S LETTER’ The foreign minister also said that Bangladesh has welcomed the letter written by US President Joe Biden and thinks that any question that was there has been cleared by this letter. “We welcome the letter written by President Biden. We already have very good relations with the US. Through this letter, our partnership will further advance,” Hasan told reporters. There is no more “discomfort” in the Bangladesh-US relations, Hasan said. US President Joe Biden has written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing his willingness to work together to achieve Bangladesh’s economic goal. He also expressed willingness to partner with Bangladesh on their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. "The United States is committed to supporting Bangladesh's ambitious economic goals and partnering with Bangladesh on our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," President Biden said in his letter. As the two countries embark on the next chapter of the US-Bangladesh partnership, the US President said he wants to convey the sincere desire of his administration to continue their work together on regional and global security, economic development, climate change and energy, global health, humanitarian support, especially for Rohingya refugees, and more. "We have a long and successful history of working together to solve problems, and our strong people-to-people ties are the foundation of this relationship," the US President wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. TALKS WITH THAI, LIBYAN AMBASSADORS During the maiden courtesy meeting with Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thai Ambassador to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor congratulated the Bangladesh Foreign Minister on behalf of the Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara. Reflecting on the excellent Bangladesh-Thai relations, they discussed issues to deepen ties, such as possible high level visits, trade and investment, possible free trade agreement (FTA) and existing tax regime, port connectivity, enhanced frequency of flights and energy cooperation. Ambassador of Libya to Bangladesh Abdulmutalib S Suliman also met Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud. The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh will stand beside Libya in its rebuilding efforts. They discussed working facilities for doctors, nurses, engineers and other skilled workforces. Read more: 37 more Nasaka personnel take shelter in Bangladesh; total number now 95

Thirty-seven more members of Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) aka Nasaka have taken shelter in Bangladesh border amid a conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, in Myanmar's Rakhine state. With this, the total number of Nasaka members who took shelter in Bangladesh stood at 95 till this morning (February 5, 2024), said Shariful Islam, public relations officer at Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Headquarters. The BGB disarmed the Nasaka members and took them to a safe shelter, he said, adding that a process was underway to take action in this connection. Read more: No more stray mortal shells from Myanmar to land in Bangladesh, hopes FM Earlier on Sunday, 58 BGP members took shelter along the border, the BGB officer said. UNB Cox’s Bazar correspondent reported that two Bangladeshis sustained bullet injuries during firing between Myanmar army and armed groups in Tumbru area along Ghumdhum border in Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban on Sunday morning. Locals said there has been a fierce conflict between the country's army and armed groups inside Myanmar over the past few days. High-powered ammunition and explosives have been used and people in the border area of Ghumdhum have become tensed. Read more: Out of options, Rohingya fleeing Myanmar and Bangladesh by boat despite soaring death toll