Bangladesh on Sunday “unequivocally” condemned the coordinated attacks carried out on Border Guard Police posts in Rakhine State, Myanmar on October 10 saying that Bangladesh finds these developments disturbing.
“We are concerned at the loss of innocent lives in these clashes and underscore the need for arresting perpetrators and for due judicial process to bring them to justice,” a foreign ministry statement said yesterday.
The statement said Bangladesh as a responsible neighbour on its own had sealed the borders with Myanmar in the early hours of 10th October to deny perpetrators easy escape.
“Bangladesh apprehended two Muslims of Rakhine State and handed them over to the authorities of Myanmar within a day. Bangladesh authorities are in constant touch with their Myanmar counterparts and providing help as requested,” the statement said.
It added Bangladesh follows a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards violent extremism and terrorism of any form and manifestation.
Bangladesh conducted a number of operations against Arakan Army and other ethnic armed groups originating from Myanmar in the recent times to help Myanmar, the statement said.
According to the statement, Bangladesh returned two Tatmadaw members rescued from Arakan Army captivity last year.
“Bangladesh will continue to assist Myanmar in this time of need. Bangladesh believes that cooperation in these areas could be best realized under legal framework which Bangladesh has been stressing over two years,” the statement said.
It said such institutionalized cooperation is needed to comprehensively address all aspects of insecurity, from drug to human trafficking to gun running to civil commotion and internal disturbances to insurgency.
