Interview
Border News Agency
Maungdaw, September 17.

At a press conference on September 15, Colonel Md. Mohiuddin Ahmed, Deputy Director of the Ramu Sector of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), alleged that the Arakan Army (AA) is involved in drug smuggling into Bangladesh and claimed that some Bangladeshi nationals have been purchasing drugs from the group.

AA spokesperson Khaing Thukha told the media that the statements made by the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) were baseless and fabricated accusations.

“During the press conference held by the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB), the claim made by the Ramu Sector Commander that Bangladeshi nationals were going to areas controlled by the Arakan Army (AA) to purchase drugs is completely untrue. It is nothing more than a baseless and one-sided fabricated accusation.”

“After the Arakan Army (AA) took control of the border area, all the drug trafficking operations that had previously been under the Myanmar military’s control have completely come to a halt.”

“Officials and personnel of the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) who were previously connected to the Myanmar military’s drug operations have, after losing their profits, reportedly resorted to various forms of harassment against the Arakan Army (AA). They have also imposed restrictions to prevent essential humanitarian supplies, including medicine and basic consumer goods, from reaching the people of Arakan.”

“As a result, no movement across the border is possible. In such a situation where crossing is entirely restricted, the claim that Bangladeshi nationals are going into AA-controlled areas to obtain drugs is completely unfounded and lacks any credibility.”

“The reason is clear: during the period when the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) is strictly monitoring and securing the border to prevent any goods from reaching Arakan, how could their nationals possibly cross into our controlled areas to obtain drugs? Any reasonable person can think and understand that this is simply impossible.”

“Therefore, the claims made by the BGB sector commander are deliberate and baseless accusations intended to cover up their own involvement and interests in drug trafficking operations.”

“The drugs seized on the Bangladesh side are being transported from Yangon and Sittwe, cities under the control of the Burmese fascist military council, through a network involving the military commission and its allied extremist Bengali groups, and are shipped via sea routes using Burmese Navy vessels to Saint Martin’s Island in Bangladesh waters.”

“Some officials of the Bangladesh Border Guard and the coastal patrol units, who benefit from the drug trafficking route, are making fabricated allegations against the Arakan Army in coordination with the terrorist military council, in order to cover up their own involvement and interests in the drug trade.

“The Bangladesh Border Guard is training and arming religious extremist Bengali militant groups at refugee camps, providing them with weapons and military instruction.”

“These armed militants are stationed around BGB camps and are supported as they carry out various cross-border crimes including extortion, killings, abductions, armed robberies, drug trafficking, and human trafficking from which the BGB profits.”

“Therefore, the actions of the Bangladesh Border Guard are seriously threatening border stability and local security in the region.”