Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday said, "We will not allow anyone to enter our borders. Arakan Army, BGP, separatists or whoever, will not be allowed to enter our borders. This is our clear message."
Home Minister said this at the passing out parade of the 98th batch of recruits of BGB at Baitul Izzat at Satkania in Chattogram at noon on Thursday.
The parade was held at the parade ground of Border Guard Training Centre and College (BGTC&C), the traditional training institution of the BGB.
The Home Minister said that the incidents happening in Myanmar are their internal affairs. Myanmar has been in crisis at various times within their country. Various separatist groups are fighting there, including the Arakan Army. "Once we heard, Myanmar is engaged in war with Arakan Army. Our country has nothing to do with this incident. We think that Myanmar will fight in their territory, they will not invade our country," he added.
The Home Minister said, "Till now our BGB has been protecting the border areas with great competence. We have increased manpower (soldiers) in those places. So that the BGB checkpoints can act as observation posts at the border all the time.
In response to journalists' questions about new Rohingya infiltration, the Home Minister said, "We are not inviting anyone again." Let them fight within their borders, but we will not allow them to enter our borders, this is our clear message."
"Border road construction work is continuing to ensure security in the areas," he said. "Once the border road is constructed there will be more patrols so the drug smuggling will stop," he added.
From the training of the 98th batch, 849 men and 46 women participated in the parade at BGB Training Centre and School at Baitul Izzat in Satkania upazila of the district and training at Chuadanga Battalion.
The border security force is now capable of carrying out duties on water, land and air, the Home Minister said.
Home Minister said the BGB has been made a three-dimensional force through the use of technology and ensuring other facilities.
He urged the new recruits to uphold the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and give importance to the basic principles of the force. BGB's success in protecting the border and preventing smuggling and trafficking of women and children is commendable, he said.
Senior officials of the Chattogram Regional BGB, officials of local civil administration, police and local public representatives were also present at the programme. A total of 73 composite modern Border Observation Posts (BOPs) were under construction to ensure border security and safe placement of BGB members for conducting operations and necessary activities at the border areas.
This will enable BGB to strengthen surveillance to curb crime, human trafficking and illegal trade at the border areas across the country.
As a paramilitary force, the main responsibility of the BGB is to provide security in the 4,427km border areas of the country. It has a border of 4,156 km with India and 271 km with Myanmar.
Major General Sakil Ahmed said that Rohingyas tried to enter Bangladesh through brokers from Myanmar their attempt was foiled.
BGB Director General said, through intelligence information, we came to know that they (Rohingyas) are gathering in the border area and trying to enter Bangladesh. After inquiry we have increased our capacity. We thwarted many attempts to enter Bangladesh. We want to ensure that incidents like intrusions on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border do not happen again. He also said that if our work is interrupted at any border then we protest it. They answer it. We have increased manpower at our borders. 24 hours patrolling of our border guards, surveillance and intelligence activities have been increased.
