Myanmar officially expressed regret as Bangladesh on Sunday strongly protested Myanmar's security forces flying helicopters over the Bangladesh-Myanmar border areas, firing of small arms, shelling in the border area and causing loss of life and property, reports UNB.
The protest was lodged by the head of the Bangladesh delegation on Sunday during a flag meeting between members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) held at Teknaf in Cox's Bazar.
Lt Col Khalid Mohammad Iftekhar, commanding officer of BGB-2 Battalion, led an 8-member Bangladesh delegation while Police Lieutenant Colonel Ye Wai Soe, Commanding Officer, No (1) Border Guard Police Branch, led the 7-member Myanmar delegation at the flag meeting, said Shariful Islam, public relations officer of the BGB headquarters in the evening.
During the flag meeting, Bangladesh side also called upon the BGP to maintain a peaceful stand on the border and also to keep a watchful eye so that no shell falls inside Bangladesh in the future as a result of the internal conflict in Myanmar, the BGB PRO said at the flag meeting.
Besides, as a neighboring border guard force, the BGB hopes that the ongoing internal crisis in Myanmar will be resolved soon and the ongoing border situation will be resolved quickly. The BGB always expects the BGP to play a responsible role in border management and maintaining stability at the border, he said.
In this regard, the BGP Battalion Commander officially expressed regret for the recent incidents.
Besides the situation arising in the border area of Bangladesh-Myanmar, there was a productive discussion about illegal entry of Myanmar citizens and prevention of drug trafficking in the flag meeting. Emphasis is placed on taking necessary steps in the future to create an environment of mutual communication, trust and confidence between the border guarding forces of the two friendly states.
Finally, the flag meeting ended in a very peaceful and cordial atmosphere with mutual farewell greetings and the BGP delegation returned to Myanmar.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
