The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Despite withdrawal of Myanmar exploration mission from Bangladesh waters in the Bay of Bengal, tension in the land border area still persists as both sides continue to mobilise troops.

Apart from the border guards both countries have moved in army units, but deployed them five km (three miles) in land from the border lines. BDR chief Major-General Shakil Ahmed visited his troops at areas bordering Myanmar yesterday.

He asked his soldiers to be on high alert but hoped the situation would not escalate into a military confrontation.

Security officials said Myanmar also built up army troops at strategic points on its side of the 320 km (200 miles) border, partly demarcated by the Naf river and shared by the two countries.

BDR sources said Yangon still kept in its border the Nasaka troops backed by their army soldiers in the frontiers prompting the BDR to mobilise extra forces along the Bangladesh-Myanmar borders.

"Tension is defusing with the development in the Bay, but we are watching the situation in the frontiers . . . it takes some time to withdraw the troops as it is needed during their deployment," a senior BDR official told BSS news agency.

Reports from the frontline said residents along the Bangladesh- Myanmar border in Bandarban frontiers were still frightened as authorities advised them to be on the safe side while Nasaka reportedly warned of using guns if they were found to be crossing the border.

Meanwhile, Myanmar has started pulling back naval ships from the Bay of Bengal on Sunday following diplomatic efforts from Bangladesh. Earlier on Saturday it stopped exploration for gas and oil in disputed waters.

Myanmar started the exploration early this month, despite protests by Bangladesh, in a stretch of sea both countries claim.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury yesterday said relaxation of tensions between Myanmar and Bangladesh through the withdrawal of the hydrocarbon-exploration rig of Daewoo from the contested waters in the Bay of Bengal is a win-win situation for both the countries.

"This happy conclusion in the Bay has been a win-win situation for both Bangladesh and Myanmar. Peace leads to benefit for everyone,"

Iftekhar told reporters in the evening.

He said Bangladesh always wants a close neighbourly relation with Myanmar and "our policy will be directed towards that end".

Earlier on Sunday a team, headed by Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain, returned to Dhaka, and said Myanmar had stopped exploration in the disputed waters and removed equipment.

"Myanmar has completely withdrawn equipment and ships from our water territory," Touhid told reporters.

However, Myanmar's official media Sunday presented this as a technical move and said the South Korean company undertaking the exploration work had simply moved to another block after a successful seismic survey.

The dispute would be a focal point of discussion when technical delegations from both sides meet in Dhaka on November 16 and 17 to talk demarcation of their maritime boundary, officials said.