Fourteen members of Myanmar’s security forces, including the army, Border Guard Police (BGP), and police, have surrendered to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) after entering Bangladesh illegally through the Alikadam border in Bandarban.
According to the BGB, all 14 personnel are male, and they were unarmed and dressed in civilian clothing at the time of their entry.
The detainees were handed over to the Alikadam police station on Wednesday night for necessary legal action. They had earlier crossed the border on Tuesday and surrendered at the Kurukpata Killaipara checkpoint under the Alikadam Battalion (57 BGB).
Following their surrender, BGB personnel took them into custody, brought them to the battalion headquarters, and conducted initial interrogations.
Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Mehedi, commanding officer of Alikadam 57 BGB, confirmed the development to TIMES of Bangladesh.
“Fourteen Myanmar citizens voluntarily arrived at the Killaipara checkpoint and surrendered. Initial enquiries indicate that they are members of Myanmar’s law enforcement and security forces. They were unarmed and dressed in civilian attire when entering Bangladesh,” he said.
The commanding officer added, “We have conducted preliminary interrogations regarding the reasons and circumstances surrounding their entry into Bangladesh. Following verification and scrutiny, they were handed over to the Alikadam police station for further legal proceedings.”
BGB sources added that the 14 individuals were handed over to the police on Wednesday night to face action under existing laws, the Foreigners Act, and border control and management regulations for unauthorised entry into the country.
Md Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Alikadam Police Station, confirmed receiving the detainees.
“On Wednesday night, the BGB handed over the 14 detained Myanmar citizens, who are members of various security forces in their home country, to the police station. Legal proceedings against them are currently underway,” he said.
In the wake of the incident, the BGB has heightened vigilance and reinforced security measures across the border area. BGB officials stated that round-the-clock monitoring is being maintained to deal with any potential situation on the border.
