Myanmar hands over BGB man's body
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| Border Guard Bangladesh troops patrolling the Bangladesh side of the border with Myanmar at Naikkhangchhari in Bandarban on Friday. Photo: Banglar Chokh |
May 31, 2014
Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) this afternoon handed over the body of a Bangaldeshi border troop who was killed in BGP firing at Painchhari border of Bandarban Wednesday escalating tension near the frontier.
The body of BGB nayek Mizanur Rahman was handed over around 5:45pm to BGB officials in Naikkhangchhari, our Bandarban correspondent reports.
BGB Director General Maj General Aziz said a 10-member team of BGB led by a officer of Major rank went to the Myanmar-side crossing the zero line in response to a call from the Myanmar Border Guard Police and identified the body of Miaznur around 4:30pm.
"The team then brought back the body after completing different formalities," the BGB chief said while addressing the media at the BGB headquarters in the capital this evening.
He further said that the firearm of the slain BGB man could not be recovered.
Expressing frustration over the recent incidents with Myanmar, the BGB chief said, "We did not get any positive response from the Myanmar Border Guard Police despite repeated calls for talk over the incident."
Meanwhile, the foreign office today summoned the Myanmar ambassador for the second time in three days to protest firing by Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) on the BGB men at Painchhari border in Bandarban Wednesday and yesterday.
Tension around the Painchhari border in Naikkhangchhari border, which flared after the Wednesday firing, has yet to subside.
Myanmar troops shot at a BGB patrol team near the border and allegedly detained injured BGB Nayek Mizanur Rahman intruding into Bangladesh territory. A fresh gunfight started yesterday as BGB personnel had gone near the border to see if a body of missing Mizanur which Myanmar troops allegedly took away.
A large number of people already left their Painchhari village last night as a tense situation heightened in the area.
Talking to The Daily Star this afternoon, BGB Director General Major Gen Aziz Ahmed said that Myanmar BGP had informed them that there is a body in their possession, which they were expected to show to their Bangladesh counterparts at 11:30am today.
The BGB chief also termed untrue a press report that two more BGB men went missing after yesterday's firing.
MYANMAR ENVOY SUMMONED
Amid heightened tension, the foreign ministry summoned Myanmar envoy Dhaka U Myo Myint Than at State Guesthouse Padma at 10:30am to protest the firing.
In a note verbale handed over to him, Secretary (bilateral) Ambassador Mustafa Kamal sought body of the missing BGB nayek Mizanur Rahman.
This is the third protest letter from Bangladesh to Myanmar since Wednesday.
Tension is running high at Painchhari border a day after a gunfight between BGB and BGP over the return of the BGB man.
Yesterday’s five-hour gunfight between BGB and Myanmar BGP has panicked people of Painchhari, 20 kilometres off Naikkhongchhari area.
BGB members resumed the search for Nayek Mizanur around 5:00am today, our correspondent reported quoting local sources.
