Published on 11:14 AM, July 12, 2018

BGB hands BGP a list of fugitive drug dealers

Bangladesh hands over a list of fugitive drug dealers to Myanmar at the end of the border guard-level summit held for four days in Dhaka on July 12, 2018. Photo: Star/ Rafiul Islam

Bangladesh has handed over a list of fugitive drug dealers to Myanmar at the end of the border guard-level summit held for four days in Dhaka.

“We have handed over a list of those criminals to Myanmar and subsequently we have had negotiations and understanding to take necessary actions against them,” Brig Gen Md Majibur Rahman, OSP, PPMS, ndc, psc, additional director general of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), said at a post-summit press briefing.

The BGB official said Bangladesh follows zero-tolerance policy against drug and Myanmar police said they are carrying out anti-narcotics operation as per their policy.

Narcotics has been the top agenda of Bangladesh government in the recent times. It is dealing the issue with an iron fist - and as a result, more than 160 people have died so far in crackdown against drugs.

The four-day summit between border forces of Bangladesh and Myanmar ended today with both sides pledging to improve the frontier security situation.

Both parties discussed in detail the predefined agenda of the summit in a cordial environment, according to press release from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

They expressed concerns about the expansion of yaba trade and Myanmar has agreed to help each other in curbing the smuggling of illegal drugs.

Both the parties agreed to start the operations of the newly built border liaison offices at Bangladesh's Teknaf and Myanmar's Longadu. Apart from that they have pledged to work together to maintain peace and stability at the border.

BGB expressed deep distress over the recent firing at the border and crossing of Myanmar nationals into Bangladesh. In response, Myanmar said that they have already taken steps to avert such situation.

The four-day summit between the two countries' border forces began in Dhaka on July 9.

Issues like preventing inflow of narcotics, particularly yaba pills; firing by Myanmar's Army and Border Guard Police (BGP); and Myanmar nationals' illegal entry into Bangladesh dominated the meeting between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and BGP.

The summit was held at the BGB headquarters in the city's Pilkhana.

An 11-member delegation led by Police Brigadier General Myo Than, chief of police general staff of Myanmar, and a 15-member Bangladesh delegation led by BGB Additional Director General Brig Gen Md Anisur Rahman represented respective countries at the summit.

Besides, high officials of home and foreign ministries and narcotics control departments of both countries were present at the summit.