Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) director general Maj. Gen. Md Shafeenul Islam has asked the chief of the police general staff of Myanmar police force (MPF), Brig. Gen. Myoe Than, to remove landmines and improvised explosive devices (IED) from the bordering areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar. The request was made at the five-day-long seventh bilateral talks of the BGB and the MPF at the BGB’s headquarters in Peelkhana, Dhaka. The talks ended yesterday.

After the talks, both sides agreed on nine issues including zero tolerance towards the smuggling of various drugs, especially yaba, through the borders of the two neighbouring countries, according to the Joint Record of Discussions (JRD) signed by both sides after the talks.

Among the other issues, both Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed to share information on terrorism, cross-border crimes, arms smuggling, and human trafficking. Both sides also agreed to check illegal intruders from the two countries and provide real-time information on border-related issues. They also agreed to conduct joint patrols by the border forces of the two countries to ensure border security.

The next talks between the border forces of Bangladesh and Myanmar would be held in May or June this year in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. Brig. Gen. Myoe Than led the eight-member Myanmar delegation, while BGB director Maj. Gen. Md Shafeenul Islam led the 14-member Bangladesh delegation at the conference. Representatives from Bangladesh’s Prime Minister’s Office, home ministry, foreign ministry, and the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) took part in the talks.

The Myanmar delegation leave Dhaka today.