Tense situation is prevailing in the border areas as the Myanmar authority is going ahead with construction of barbed wire fence along the border. A flag meeting of BDR and NASAKA of Myanmar will be held today at Mondu in Arakan of Myanmar. The 42 battalion commander of BDR will lead the Bangladesh team at the flag meeting, sources said.

According to the sources, the BDR intensified patrolling the border as NASAKA forces of Myanmar camped on the other side of the border. The BDR is patrolling along the border at Tambru and Naikingchari area as well as Teknaf border area. Of the total 320km border between Myanmar and Bangladesh from Teknaf to Banderban, Myanmar authority has completed the construction of pillars over 80km. They have also set up several Border Out-Posts (BOP) including two major BOPs recently.

Tension is mounting among the Rohingya villages and camps along the border at Cox's Bazar and Banderban over the recent attempts of NASAKA to push-in the Rohingyas. Meanwhile, several troops of Bangladesh Army from Comilla cantonment reached at the border areas at Lama, Tombru and Teknaf. Locals said that army is observing the situation. Some of the villagers at Jaliatoli said they were secure after the arrival of army personnel.

Gias Uddin Ahmed, the DC of the Cox's Bazar, said that army is keeping watch on the border areas of Cox's Bazar and Banderban. Officials of Cox's Bazar District Administration informed that Bangladesh army has set up several posts at Banderban and Cox's Bazar to keep the watch on the border with Myanmar. The Deputy Commissioner said that tension is prevailing among the villagers of the border area. But, the situation is quite normal till today. He said, they are monitoring the situation at the border area and ready to take necessary steps.

Meanwhile, the Myanmar Authority has completed the construction of pillars for erecting barbed wire at the Tambru border area. The villagers of Balukhali, Betbunia, Jaillya Toli, Ghom Dhum have been passing their days with high tension as they are observing the steps of NASAKA forces of Myanmar. The villagers pointed out that they saw huge forces of Myanmar at the border area and that several jets flew from the airport of nearby border area recently. Many Rohingya people have camped at the border area for crossing the border. Locals further said that the Myanmar authority is erecting barbed wire at the border area to resist the return of Rohingya refugees.

Meanwhile, the 17 BDR Battalion chief Lt Col Shakawat Hossain visited the border area and talked with the villagers at the border area. He told the journalists that the BDR was ready to face any threat at the border area. He also said that the BDR had made all preparation to resist any illegal entry at the border area. He further said that the Myanmar authority is erecting barbed wire within their land at the border area. There are no unwanted occurrences till now and BDR is ready to save our border, he added.

-The Independent