KALADAN NEWS

Dated: Thursday, October 09, 2003

 Burmese Nasaka Gave Ultimatum to Bangladesh Businessmen

Cox’s Bazar, Ocober10: The Burmese Nasaka (Border Security Force) has given an ultimatum to two Bangladeshi businessmen for immediate release of seven arrested Burmese nationals by Bangladesh police, said Hamid Mohamed Ershad, a local reporter.

Seven- Rakhine (Burmese nationals) including one Aung Kyaw Sein has been arrested on 4^th October 2003 by police in Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar District under the accusation of passport Act.

On hearing of the information, the Nasaka forces were very angry with two famous Bangladeshi businessmen named Masood and Hashem who hail from Partia and Teknaf respectively and they were given ultimatum by the Nasaka to release the arrested persons without any condition within 5-days or by October 10. The said two businessmen invested huge money in Arakan State, Burma for business purpose. If the arrested persons will not be released on aforesaid day, the invested money of the two businessmen would be seized and all kinds of legal and illegal trade between the two countries would be closed. Therefore, the two businessmen have been trying with their best to release the Burmese nationals without taking any rest, he further said.

Since the Nasaka’s ultimatum, the two businessmen have been trying to get a charge- sheet passed with police officials by bribing a large amount of money and to seek bail from the court but District magistrate denied bail yesterday.

Mr. Mohamed Yahaya, an officer-in-charge of Ukhiya police station said, “ These 7-Burmese nationals were arrested with suspicion. Though they came to Bangladesh with legal passport, they were openly moving in Cox’s Bazar area without any fear of their expired date of passport and there is no opportunity for any Bangladeshi to overstay, even for an hour in Burma. He also said that some Rakhines from Burma take shelter in Rakhine villages of Bangladesh and leak out secret information of Bangladesh with hiding faces, which may be danger of Bangladesh entity. So, this trial will be taking by Bangladesh laws.”

Some Bangladeshi local elites think that these arrested Burmese nationals might be spies of the Nasaka and partners of the said smugglers (businessmen), unless why the Nasaka gave ultimatum to those businessmen and would stop both legal and illegal border trade! ##

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