Army chief to visit Myanmar

Chief of army staff General Aziz Ahmed would go on a weeklong visit to Myanmar in a bid to further improve the ties with that country.

He was talking to reporters after a reception on Monday in the army multi-purpose complex in the Dhaka cantonment.

The army headquarters hosted the reception for the decorated members of the force, the families of the 75 martyred freedom fighters who served in army and the 23 serving army officials for their outstanding contributions in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Rohingya crisis and in combating extremism.

General Aziz said, ‘We have good relations with Myanmar and I will be visiting the country as part of the process to further strengthen the relations.’

He went on that the main objective of the visit would be to strengthen mutual cooperation between the armies of Bangladesh and Myanmar, including exchange of training.  

Army officials said that a seven-member team would be visiting Myanmar for a week from December 8.

General Aziz said that he had recently visited China and explained to the Chinese military leadership to what extent the Rohingya crisis could pose a regional threat ‘from the security point of view’.

Asked how the army would ward off the criticism over fencing the Rohingya camps as it was opposed by the United Nations agencies, he replied that the government had given them shelter, adding ‘Now, it is our responsibilities to ensure their safety and security and that of the locals.’

‘In case of any urgency, the army is always ready to work jointly with the people for the development of the country,’ the army chief told former chiefs and top brasses at the reception.

‘It is the constitutional duty to assist the government in necessity of the country and for the building of it,’ he added.

He said that his force claimed local and international appreciation for their role played in the 11th parliamentary elections held on December 30, 2018.

Armed Forces Division principal staff officer Lieutenant General Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, quarter master general Lieutenant General Samsul Hoque, Major General Abdur Rouf and Major General Maksudur Rahman, among others, received ‘Asamanya Seba Padak’ and ‘Bishishta  Seba Padak’.

The government also awarded Brigadier General AKM Iqbal for heading the committee instituted to screen the involvement of personnel in the mutiny in the Bangladesh Rifles in February 25-26, 2009.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net