Myanmar promises not to violate Bangladesh airspace

Staff Reporter :
The Border Guard Police (BGP) of Myanmar has promised that they would not violate the airspace of Bangladesh territory during their internal conflicts.
The assurance was given during a five-hour long flag meeting between Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) and BGP held at BGB’s Rest House in Teknaf Upazila of Cox’s Bazar amid the border tensions on Sunday.
When BGB protested against the acts of violating Bangladesh airspace, Myanmar border force pledged that such incidents will not happen in the future.
Leader of the BGB delegation Lt Colonel Sheikh Khalid Mohammad Iftekhar told the journalists that both sides discussed the issue of the recent border shelling which created concerns.
“When we strongly protested about the incidents of mortar shelling and violating the airspace several times, the BGP expressed its sorrow and promised that such incidents would not repeat,” he said.
During the discussion, both sides agreed to a consensus to work with collaboration in a bid to de-escalate tensions on the borders.
Along with the border tensions, two sides also discussed an array of issues including the prevention of smuggling and trespassing to make the borders safe.
“With the invitation of Teknaf-2 Battalion, BGP was invited to the flag meeting to discuss the emerging situation on the border and how to tackle it,” Lt Colonel Sheikh Khalid Mohammad Iftekhar said.
BGB said that the meeting was held in a cordial manner and both forces agreed to work together to strengthen border security.
“Such meetings will consolidate the relationship between the two forces in the upcoming days,” the BGB said.
Earlier, a 10-member delegation of Myanmar’s BGP arrived at Shahparirdwip Jetty Ghat in Teknaf at 9 am in two spread boats.
Over the last three months, an unstable situation was prevailing on Bangladesh-Myanmar Borders due to the escalating conflicts between Myanmar Army and ARSA.
During the conflicts, mortar shells and bullets landed inside Bangladesh territory several times and it created much tension among the locals who even evacuated their houses for safety.
Due to such violations of international borders, Bangladesh repeatedly called Myanmar envoy to Dhaka to hand over protest notes so that such incidents do not happen again.
The Myanmar envoy at that time gave assurances that such incidents would not be repeated, but it happened again.
Now the meeting between BGB and BGP, it has again reached a consensus that Myanmar would limit their internal issues to their own territory and keep the border free of tensions in the upcoming days.