Dhaka for joint anti-militant operations along Myanmar border

Bangladesh on Monday formally proposed Myanmar for conducting joint operations by security forces along borders of the two countries for containing alleged militant activities in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
The foreign ministry on Monday called in Myanmar chargé d’affaires Aung Myint and handed over a diplomatic note specifically mentioning the government’s intent for holding joint operations along the borders by the security forces of the two countries for containing activities of alleged ‘Islamic militants’, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and any other non-state actors engaged in activities destabilising peace in the region.
Foreign ministry director general for south Asia wing Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury handed over a note verbal comprising Bangladesh’s proposals to the Myanmar envoy, officials said.
The other proposals included restoration of regular joint and coordinated patrols by border guards of the two countries.
Several thousand minority Myanmar Muslims entered Bangladesh since Friday after some 104 people, including a dozen security forces, were killed in clashes between suspected Rohingya extremists and security forces in Rakhine state in last four days. Several hundred members of the community were seriously injured in clashes.
The government made the proposals after taking stock of the situation in a meeting of national taskforce on Rohingya situation with foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali in the chair on Sunday evening.
Representatives of the Armed Forces Division, BGB, intelligence agencies and local administrations were present at the meeting.
This was for the second time within 48 hours the Myanmar envoy was called in the foreign ministry after the recent spate of Rakhine incidents.
The government on Saturday summoned the Myanmar CDA to the foreign ministry and expressed ‘serious concern’ about the possibility of influx of Myanmar nationals, comprising women, children and elderly people, as a consequence of clashes inside bordering Rakhine state.
The foreign ministry also protested against the use of words ‘Bengali terrorists’ by Myanmar authorities after the recent incidents, officials said.
Members of minority Muslim Rohingya community have been living in their ancestral places in Rakhine state for centuries and none of them were from Bangladesh, the envoy was told.
Bangla0desh condemned the attacks on Myanmar forces and expressed concern over the loss of innocent lives in those clashes occurred following recent deployment of forces in Ratheedaung-Buthidaung areas.
Bangladesh also pointed out that the terrorist attack and clashes occurred at a time when the Rakhine Advisory Commission, popularly known as Kofi Annan Commission, made recommendations towards durable solution for Rakhine state.
At least 87,000 minority Muslims, widely known as Rohingyas, who fled indiscriminate killing, rape, arson and violence by Myanmar security forces in Rakhine state, entered Bangladesh until this July since October 9, 2016, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
Some three lakh Rohingyas have been living in a refugee-like-situation in makeshift shelters in Cox’s Bazar for years while 33,148 registered refugees from Myanmar have been living in registered camps for several years in the bordering districts.

Source: New Age