Burmese Troops Intrude on Bangladesh Territory After Soldier's Arrest

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Bandarban: Some Burmese troops have intruded into Bangladesh territory after a fellow soldier was arrested by the Bangladesh army in a frontier border area in Bangladesh, said a local source.

Ko Soe Lin, who is a democracy activist visiting the area, said, "I heard 40 Burmese soldiers intruded into Bangladesh and stayed there to look for the missing soldier. I heard the Burmese army intruded five miles into Bangladesh territory. The area is on the upper Singu River close to the northern area of Buthidaung Township in Arakan State."

A Burmese soldier with a rank of corporal was recently arrested by Bangladesh forces along with a G-64 automatic rifle and 200 bullets when he entered Bangladesh after taking the wrong road in the border area. The corporal is from a column of the Burmese army that is constructing the border fence.

Ko Ba Dun from the area said, "I saw the Burmese soldier being brought from the border to Alae Khodun Army Camp stationed on the Matamuri River by many Bangladesh soldiers a few days ago. Now the soldier has reportedly been sent to Dhaka for interrogation. After that, the Burmese soldiers intruded into Bangladesh territory."

According to a local source, many wood cutters and mountain cultivators ran away from the area after the Burmese soldiers entered Bangladesh.

"Many wood cutters and cultivators from the area came to my village out of fear after the Burmese soldiers intruded. They told us that the Burmese army summoned the Mro tribal village chairmen in the area to attend a meeting. I think the Burmese army may ask the people about the arrest of the Burmese soldier and the whereabouts of the soldier now," said Ko Ba Dun.

Even though the Burmese army intruded into Bangladesh territory, the situation in the area is normal besides the locals leaving the area to avoid any untoward incidents. However, there has been no official report from Bangladesh regarding the arrest of the Burmese soldier nor the Burmese army's entry into Bangladesh. In the past, Bangladesh has typically transferred Burmese soldiers to Burmese authorities after arresting them in the country.

On 20 December, Bangladesh authorities handed over renegade Burmese soldier Thein Zaw Tun to Burmese authorities at the Maungdaw border point after Bangladesh Border Guard arrested him along with a G-3 rifle and 120 bullets.