Bangladesh to build 108km border fence along Myanmar frontier: Nikkei Asia

The government has decided to construct a 108-kilometre barbed-wire fence along selected vulnerable sections of its 271-kilometre border with Myanmar to curb illegal crossings, cross-border crime and smuggling, amid growing instability in Myanmar's Rakhine State, according to a report by Nikkei Asia.

The move would mark the country's first border fencing project with any of its neighbouring countries, including Myanmar and India, reflecting mounting security concerns along the southeastern frontier.

The plan comes as the Arakan Army has consolidated control over most of Myanmar's Rakhine State, raising fears of renewed Rohingya influxes, increased arms and narcotics trafficking, and worsening border insecurity.

The fencing proposal was first announced in Parliament last month by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, who said the project aims to prevent illegal infiltration, cross-border crimes and smuggling.

According to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the fence will cover approximately 108 kilometres of strategically selected high-risk border areas, although authorities have not disclosed the exact locations.

BGB officials said the project is intended to strengthen border management by preventing unauthorized crossings and disrupting networks involved in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking and other transnational crimes.

Speaking to Nikkei Asia, BGB Public Relations Officer Mohammad Shariful Islam said the traditional state border management system on the Myanmar side has largely collapsed, creating new security challenges for Bangladesh.

Retired Major General Mohammad Shahidul Haque, a former defence adviser at the Bangladesh Embassy in Myanmar, said the government is also concerned about individuals from the Chittagong Hill Tracts allegedly crossing into Rakhine to join armed groups for money, alongside the continued flow of illegal weapons and narcotics into Bangladesh.

He noted that border fencing, coupled with the construction of patrol roads, would significantly enhance surveillance and reduce unauthorized movement across the frontier. He also recommended prioritising fencing along the Naf River, a long-established corridor for drug, arms and human trafficking, before extending the project to difficult mountainous sections in Naikhongchhari and Bandarban.

Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Commander Sabbir Alam Sujan said the security landscape has changed dramatically since the Arakan Army captured Maungdaw in December 2024 and expanded its control along the border.

Although Bangladesh officially maintains diplomatic relations with Myanmar's military government, he said effective administrative authority no longer exists in many border areas, resulting in increased instability, kidnappings of Bangladeshi fishermen, cross-border smuggling, fresh risks of Rohingya infiltration, and persistent threats from landmines and unexploded ordnance.

According to BGB data, more than 426 Bangladeshi fishermen have been detained from the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal since the Arakan Army took control of the Myanmar side of the border in late 2024. While 324 have been repatriated, others remain in captivity.

Retired Brigadier General M. Sakhawat Hossain said the Arakan Army has increasingly relied on kidnappings and ransom demands to finance its operations, while smuggling of drugs and weapons across the border has intensified since the group expanded its territorial control.