16-7-2024 (TEKNAF) Bangladesh has prevented dozens of Myanmar security personnel from crossing into its territory as they attempted to escape advancing rebel forces. The confrontation, which took place on Sunday, underscores the escalating conflict in Myanmar’s western regions and its spillover effects on neighbouring countries.
Mujibur Rahman, a councillor of Bangladesh’s southeastern border town of Teknaf, reported that at least 66 members of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) were immediately turned back while trying to cross the Naf river into Bangladesh. “The BGP members wanted to enter Teknaf on two boats. The coast guard prevented their entry,” Rahman stated.
And also take a look at this video! https://t.co/ASTSZ6p2th pic.twitter.com/HtwKXzG5qJ
— Shafiur Rahman (@shafiur) July 15, 2024
This incident marks a departure from recent patterns where Myanmar troops seeking refuge in India and Bangladesh were typically allowed to stay for brief periods before being repatriated on junta-organised flights. The immediate rejection of these security personnel highlights the growing complexities of the regional situation.
A local journalist, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the scene: “Some of them were not wearing any shirts,” suggesting the hastiness of their attempted crossing. The boats reportedly came close to a pier in Teknaf before being pushed back towards Myanmar later that night.
The backdrop to this event is the ongoing conflict between Myanmar’s military junta and the Arakan Army (AA), a rebel group that has made significant advances in Rakhine state since breaking a ceasefire last November. The fighting has intensified pressure on the junta, which is already battling opponents across various parts of the country.
The conflict’s escalation has had far-reaching consequences. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders recently announced the suspension of all activities near Rakhine’s border with Bangladesh, citing an “extreme escalation of conflict” in the area.
Despite this recent incident, Bangladesh has accepted over 850 fleeing Myanmar soldiers this year, according to a senior government official who spoke anonymously. “We have already handed over 752 of them to Myanmar,” the official stated, adding that approximately 100 border police and troops are currently awaiting repatriation.
Bangladesh’s role in this crisis is particularly complex, given that it already hosts around one million Rohingya refugees. The majority of these refugees fled Rakhine in 2017 following a military crackdown that is now the subject of a genocide investigation at a UN court.
