Bangladesh is maintaining contact with both the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army, the rebel group controlling the border region with Bangladesh, said Home Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
He made the remarks while addressing journalists after visiting the Teknaf border area with Myanmar on Monday afternoon.
The adviser said that the Arakan Army has taken control of significant portions of Myanmar’s Arakan State. Given this complex situation, Bangladesh has been engaging with both the Myanmar junta government and the Arakan Army, reports United News of Bangladesh(UNB).
Regarding the recent influx of Rohingya refugees, the adviser mentioned that between 50,000 and 60,000 Rohingya had illegally crossed into Bangladesh, evading Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) surveillance.
He said that the government has not yet decided on registering the newly arrived Rohingyas and clarified that no policy decision has been made regarding providing them shelter in Bangladesh, reports UNB.
Jahangir Alam assured that the Bangladesh border remains under the full control of the BGB and urged locals not to be alarmed.
He acknowledged the involvement of unscrupulous Bangladeshi brokers in aiding the illegal infiltration of Rohingya refugees, reports UNB.
The adviser also addressed the region’s long-standing issue of illegal drug trade, remarking, “This area (Teknaf) is well-known for its drug trade”.
He stressed that combating this issue requires collective effort, adding, “We need everyone’s cooperation to tackle this. Law enforcement alone cannot resolve it.”