Home adviser retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that not all videos circulating on social media regarding the border situation were factual, but at the same time, nor were they entirely false.
His remarks came while he was speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon following a closed-door meeting on the law and order situation at the Circuit House in Chattogram.
He also said that Bangladesh’s border with Myanmar was under full control at present.
Responding to questions about various viral videos and TikTok content involving an Arakan-based organisation, the adviser said, ‘The Arakan Army has been engaged in a conflict for a long time. Many of their members have even married on this side of the border, this cannot be denied. However, the way it is portrayed in videos is exaggerated. TikTok content can be produced in many ways. Not all of it is true, and not all of it is false either. We need to approach this with balance.’
On the situation at the border, he added, ‘The Arakan region is a difficult border zone. Although we maintain communication with Myanmar, the Arakan Army currently controls that stretch. At present, if you want to do any import-export with Myanmar, you have to pay taxes to the Myanmar government, and the Arakan Army members who are there are also taking money. There is a problem here, and we must acknowledge it. Efforts are underway to resolve it.’
Regarding the situation of the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, the adviser said, ‘the border is currently under full control’.
Commenting on the recent rise in killings in Chattogram’s Raozan upazila, he said, ‘Fatikchhari, Raozan, Patiya and Satkania are regions where hills and plains intersect.
The issues here are different from other areas. We’re discussing these matters, as criminals often flee to the hills after committing crimes… I assure you action will be taken against them (criminals) in accordance with the law.’
Regarding joint force operations, he said, ‘There has been no decline in joint operations. In fact, with your cooperation, the overall law and order situation has improved.’
When asked whether the hill areas are currently unstable, the adviser cited his own experiences, saying ‘I have served three times in the hill regions as camp commander, commanding officer and brigade commander. The unrest in the hills was evident in the past. But if you compare then and now, the hills are far more peaceful today. Minor incidents like abductions also occur in the plains. Why blame only the hills? The situation has significantly improved compared with earlier times.’
In the meeting, Chittagong divisional commissioner Md Ziauddin, Range deputy inspector general of police Ahsan Habib Palash and deputy commissioner Farida Khanom were present, among others.
