| Myanmar brings in everything:Troops, tanks, warships, frigate to spread tension further Dhaka terms it routine exercise The Myanmar military brought in heavy tanks, artillery guns, 12 warships and a frigate along its border with Bangladesh in the last 24 hours ended yesterday evening as part of its preparation for a large-scale conflict with Bangladesh, sources at the Bangladesh Armed Forces said. Bangladesh also has strengthened its military build-up in a bid to repulse a Myanmarese incursion by preparing 30 warships in Chittagong and Khulna, a Navy official stationed at Chittagong told The Daily Star. However, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni at a press conference yesterday rejected reports about the heavy military build-up by Myanmar along Bangladesh border, saying it is a routine movement of the security personnel. "I had talks with our ambassador, an army officer, in Myanmar and he told me that it is a routine practice," she said, adding, "Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes also called the Myanmar ambassador in Dhaka and the envoy conveyed him the same message." Ground reality did not support the foreign minister's claim as various sources in the military, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and intelligence agencies said that the situation on the border remained tense. "The situation at Bangladesh-Myanmar border has remained tense," Major General Mainul Islam, director general (DG) of BDR, said last night. The BDR DG met State Minister for Home Affairs Shamsul Haq Tuku yesterday and 'normally' discussed the border situation. "I am going to place some proposals tomorrow (Monday) to include construction of more Border Operations Outposts across the border and a few more battalions to strengthen the border guards," he told The Daily Star. An intelligence agency official said Myanmar has doubled its military presence at the border over the last couple of weeks, a move that has prompted Bangladesh to take similar measures. "Myanmar has sent in 37/57mm artillery guns that will bring Chittagong under their firing range," the Navy officer told The Daily Star after the foreign minister claimed normalcy at the border. Based on the information so far gathered, we suspect that Myanmar is making preparation for a short-scale naval conflict, he said. "Suspicious military preparations have been going on at the Myanmarese side of the border over the last two months," an intelligence official said, adding that the Myanmar army has newly deployed two battle units at their side. Earlier Myanmar had deployed nine Light Infantry Battalions in its border with Bangladesh. As part of their repeated provocative acts, the junta has violated international border rules and constructed illegal barbed wire fences along the frontier. "We in the Bangladesh Navy suspect that Myanmar wants to intrude into our sea and declare a large chunk of area as their Maritime Exclusive Zone," the Navy official said. The Myanmar junta can intrude into the Bangladeshi waters any time to claim ten nautical miles area, which covers the disputed block, which is thought to be a big source of oil and natural gas, he said. Sources said after Bangladesh's maritime boundary talks with Myanmar ended inconclusively in April, Bangladesh Navy made a deployment plan last September and sent it to the government for immediate action. The deployment plan urged the government to strengthen maritime patrol at the Bay of Bengal and arrange joint naval exercises with friendly countries. Meanwhile, sources in Sittwe (formerly known as Akiab) said that Myanmarese Air Force Tatmadaw has stationed three fighter planes at the Sittwe airfield. Sittwe is only 80km away from Chittagong airport. Twelve warships are constantly patrolling the Bay area, which borders Bangladesh, the sources added. According to Bangladesh Navy sources, a new Myanmar navy frigate, built with the Chinese help at Yangon, has arrived at the Bay of Bengal. "There have also been new tanks and armoured columns are pouring in using the 40km road that they have recently built," said another Navy officer. He said Bangladesh has kept around 30 warships standby in Chittagong and Khulna to repulse any Myanmarese incursion. "The Myanmarese army personnel are regularly infiltrating into Bangladesh territory in the guise of civilians to gather information." Briefing newsmen, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni also said she had no information about whether Myanmar's border guards were trying to push Rohingya refugees across the border. In reply to a question, the foreign minister said Myanmar is not violating international laws by erecting barbed wire fences along Bangladesh border as well. "Myanmar is constructing fences in their territory conforming to international laws," she said. Dipu Moni also said the movement of the Myanmar security forces has no link with Bangladesh's decision to seek UN arbitration to determine maritime boundary between the two neighbouring countries. Asked whether Bangladesh asked China to mediate to resolve the crisis, she replied that she had no idea about any official proposal in this regard. Meanwhile, no new leave for the navy men are now being granted, as all leaves in the Bangladesh Navy have been restricted, sources at the navy said. http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=109365 |
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