8th border conference between BGB and BGP begins in Myanmar

The five-day long border conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Guard Police (BGP) of Myanmar began on Thursday at 9am local time in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar.

A 10-member Bangladesh delegation led by BGB Director General Major General Shakil Ahmed are participating in the conference.

In addition to the senior officials of BGB, the Bangladesh delegation also includes representatives of the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs.

On the other hand, a 15-member Myanmar delegation led by Police Major General Aung Naing Thu is participating in the conference.

The Myanmar delegation includes senior officials from Myanmar's Border Guard Police (BGP), as well as representatives from the country's ministries of defence, home affairs, foreign affairs, and labour and population affairs.

The Bangladesh delegation is scheduled to return to Dhaka on 28 November after the conference.

The topic of discussion at the conference includes de-escalation of the tense situation at the border caused by the recent internal conflict in Myanmar, violation of the air border, combating inter-state terrorism and preventing the activities of cross-border criminal gangs, prevention of illegal infiltration, prevention of drug and human trafficking, enhancing mutual cooperation to increase security at borders, exchange of various information related to borders, conducting joint patrolling, organising regular coordination meetings/flag meetings at the region and battalion levels, repatriation of detained/punished citizens of both countries, repatriation of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals to their original abodes and increasing mutual trust between BGB and BGP.