Dhaka: Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Monday said the government is considering constructing 109 kilometres of barbed-wire fencing along the Bangladesh–Myanmar border to strengthen security amid continued instability in Myanmar.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Headquarters at Pilkhana, the minister said the proposal is under consideration and that no final decision has yet been taken.
“The Myanmar border is currently extremely vulnerable,” Salahuddin Ahmed said, citing the ongoing conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military, as well as the activities of other armed groups, including RSU and ARSA.
He said frequent clashes among the armed groups have created instability in the border region, with the spillover of violence occasionally affecting Bangladeshi territory.
“Due to these factors, drug smuggling and instability persist along the border, and shelling from across the border has at times claimed the lives of Bangladeshi citizens,” he said.
“To address these challenges, we have proposed constructing 109 kilometres of barbed-wire fencing, though a final decision has not yet been taken,” the minister added.
Responding to a question from reporters, Salahuddin Ahmed said the security situation along the Myanmar border differs significantly from that of the Bangladesh–India border and should not be viewed through the same lens.
On the issue of landmines, the Home Minister said the government has already supplied landmine detection equipment to the Border Guard Bangladesh.
He said BGB personnel are actively using the equipment to detect landmines and prevent further casualties in border areas.
The Home Minister visited the BGB headquarters to review the force’s operational preparedness and border security measures amid continuing regional security challenges.
