Staff Reporter :
Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury stated that Bangladesh is maintaining contact with both Myanmar’s revolutionary groups and the junta government to safeguard national interests.
Speaking to journalists at the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport jetty on the Naf River in Damdamiya, Teknaf, on Monday, he reassured local residents, dismissing fears about the border situation.
“Some brokers are facilitating the illegal entry of Rohingyas. Bangladesh has been in contact with both the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army since the start of the crisis to protect national interests,” he said.
He confirmed that the Bangladesh border remains firmly under the control of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
Regarding the arrival of approximately 60,000 new Rohingya refugees over the last two months, the adviser stated that no policy decision has been made on registering these recent arrivals or providing them with shelter.
“Bangladesh has not taken any policy decision to offer them shelter,” he clarified.
Addressing the ongoing volatility and fighting near the Myanmar border, he acknowledged that gunfire could still be heard along the frontier.
“The BGB and Coast Guard are performing their duties professionally to ensure the safety of border residents.
The situation is under control, and the authorities are prepared to handle any developments. Additionally, personnel from all forces along the border have been increased,” he said.
The Bangladesh-Myanmar border has long been a corridor for drug trafficking. Speaking on this issue, the adviser noted, “Drug trafficking has been a persistent challenge.
Combating it requires collective effort, as law enforcement alone cannot resolve the problem. Once the situation stabilizes, fishing in the Naf River and reopening the corridor to Shah Porir Island will resume.”
Chief Adviser to the Interim Government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, recently raised the issue of Rohingya repatriation at a United Nations conference. In response, the UN announced plans to hold a high-level conference in 2025 on the situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar.
Earlier in the day, the Home Adviser visited Teknaf by helicopter from Dhaka, held meetings with BGB officials, and inspected several border points to assess the situation. He was accompanied by Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, Director General of the BGB.
