Staff Reporter :
A top American general from the US Pacific Command has arrived in Dhaka for talks with senior Bangladeshi Army officers.
His visit is seen as part of efforts to strengthen defensive measures along Bangladesh’s border with Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where military operations against the junta are expected to commence soon.
Lieutenant General Joel ‘JB’ Vowell, Deputy Commanding General of the US Army Pacific (USARPAC) based in Hawaii, landed at Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport in Dhaka at around 10 p.m on Monday.
He is leading a four-member team of USARPAC officers, who will return to Hawaii on March 25.
Lt Gen Vowell, who has completed three combat tours in Afghanistan and two in Iraq, has extensive military experience. Prior to his arrival, a three-member US team, led by the Dhaka-based US Embassy’s Military Attache Lt Col Michael E De Michiei, met with Bangladesh Army’s Director General of Operations, Brigadier General Mohammad Alimul Amin, to discuss regional security matters.
Bangladeshi strategic analysts have emphasised the importance of Lt Gen Vowell’s visit, particularly as the Arakan Army is reportedly planning a major offensive to capture three towns in Myanmar’s Rakhine State-Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung-currently held by the Myanmar military.
Unverified reports suggest that the Arakan Army is being supported by a strong covert auxiliary force.
“Any military action in the Rakhine State is likely to affect Bangladesh. The Arakan Army will need open supply lines, which could be partially facilitated by Bangladesh Army units deployed near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border,” a Dhaka-based geopolitical analyst stated.
The situation in Rakhine is also linked to the ongoing Rohingya crisis, with discussions about creating a no-fly zone, establishing a safe corridor, and exercising the ‘right to protect’ for refugees.
Sources within Bangladesh’s security establishment suggest that Dhaka is inclined to support the establishment of a ‘safe zone’ for the Rohingya population.
In December 2024, after the fall of Maungdaw, the Arakan Army crossed the Naf River into Bangladeshi territory for two days, before returning to Rakhine.
During this period, there was a brief engagement between Arakan Army representatives and Bangladesh Army officers, while supplies continued to flow into the Rakhine State from Bangladesh.
Sittwe, a key military target for the Arakan Army, is also strategically important for India. The development of Sittwe port is part of the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), a joint initiative between India and Myanmar.
This project aims to create a transport link between Sittwe port and Mizoram in India, enhancing regional connectivity with Southeast Asia.
Once operational, Sittwe port will facilitate multi-modal transport and improve transit times between Kolkata, Sittwe, and Bangladesh. Goods can be shipped from Kolkata to Teknaf port in Bangladesh, just 60 nautical miles from Sittwe.
From Teknaf, they can be transported to Sabroom in India, 300 km away, via an integrated customs border between Bangladesh and Tripura.
This development is expected to significantly reduce transportation costs and time for goods moving between India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
The strategic significance of Sittwe port and the Kaladan project extends beyond the Arakan Army’s military objectives, with important implications for regional trade and connectivity.
