Mizzima News

Dhaka (Mizzima) - Burma has initiated construction of a fence along its border with Bangladesh in order to check cross border smuggling, according to the Burmese ambassador in Dhaka on Tuesday.

“We’ve already started the construction of fencing well out from no man’s land. The barrier is being erected along 40 miles of sensitive border area between the two countries to prevent smuggling,” Phae Than Oo, ambassador to Bangladesh, told reporters today after his meeting with the Bangladeshi Minister for Foreign Affairs at the Foreign Ministry in Dhaka.

The ambassador also said the nearest the fence would come to no man’s land is 50 yards, while the furthest it would range would be 1,000 yards.

“This is for the mutual benefit of the two close neighbors,” he said, emphasizing the move was not motivated by defense concerns but rather aimed at stopping the illegal smuggling of drugs and human trafficking.

Bangladesh’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Hasan Mahmud, did not make any comments today to the press, but on Monday told reporters that if the fence is erected 100 meters inside Burma from the zero point, then it will be “within diplomatic norms and we won’t have any concern.”

During today's 35-minute meeting, the Burmese ambassador explained his government's position about erecting a fence along the Bangladesh border, officials said.

On Monday, Bangladesh sought an official explanation from Burma on construction of the fence, as confusion arose after Rangoon gave varied statements regarding the distance of the fence from no man's land.

In reply to a question regarding submission of an official reply to the concerns of Bangladesh, the Burmese ambassador said he had not yet delivered the explanation, but was presently iterating Burma's official position.

Bangladesh and Burma share 190 miles of common border. Burmese authorities are constructing a fence along an approximately 40-mile stretch of the boundary.