By Asif Showkat Kallol (Dhaka Bureau)
The spillover effects of Myanmar’s internal armed conflict have increasingly breached the borders of neighboring Bangladesh. Driven by escalating instability following major territorial shifts in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the Government of Bangladesh is preparing to construct its first-ever barbed-wire fence along the frontier. The project will cover 108 kilometers of the most vulnerable stretches of the 271-kilometer border.
This decision marks a significant shift from a historically open frontier to a fortified one. But it represents far more than a routine military or strategic border management initiative; it is a direct reflection of a deep-seated humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State that is fueling transnational crime and directly endangering the lives of ordinary citizens on both sides of the border.
The Equation of Conflict and Its Toll on the Vulnerable
Security concerns have intensified since the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group, seized control of large swathes of Rakhine State from the Myanmar military junta. The collapse of the junta’s authority near the frontier has created a security vacuum, which transnational criminal networks have swiftly exploited. Incidents of drug and arms smuggling, human trafficking, and unauthorized crossings have spiked in recent months.
However, the primary casualties of this geopolitical friction are the marginalized border communities, particularly local fishermen. According to data from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), more than 426 Bangladeshi fishermen have been detained or abducted in the Naf River and adjacent coastal waters since late 2024. While 324 have returned home following intense negotiations, over a hundred fishermen remain captive in the hands of armed groups operating across the border. For these impoverished families who rely on the river for their daily survival, basic human rights and economic security have become deeply compromised.
Can a Physical Barrier Alone Restore Peace?
Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser, Salahuddin Ahmed, confirmed the border fencing plan in parliament. The BGB has clarified that the installation will be restricted to high-risk zones rather than the entire stretch, keeping specific locations confidential due to security protocols.
Nevertheless, security and humanitarian analysts question the long-term efficacy of a purely physical barrier. Retired Major General Mohammad Shahidul Haque, a former Bangladeshi defense adviser in Myanmar, argues that fencing alone cannot resolve the complex crisis. He stresses the need for parallel infrastructure, such as border patrol roads, to facilitate rapid deployment and enhanced surveillance.
Other experts caution that restoring permanent peace requires addressing the deep-seated humanitarian and social crises stemming from Myanmar’s prolonged civil war. They argue that a comprehensive approach must include:
* Robust regional and international intelligence sharing.
* Enhanced maritime and humanitarian patrolling by the Coast Guard in the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal.
* Active bilateral and multilateral diplomacy to mitigate the risk of renewed Rohingya displacement and to address the lethal threat of landmines planted near the frontier.
A Call for Non-Violence and Human Protection
Today, communities living along the banks of the Naf River exist in a state of constant anxiety. The threat of cross-border abductions by armed factions, combined with the hazard of landmines near the frontier, has severely disrupted their traditional ways of life.
Bangladesh’s decision to erect its first permanent border fence underscores a stark reality: Myanmar’s protracted conflict is no longer just an internal matter. It is a regional crisis directly undermining the human rights, livelihoods, and security of ordinary, marginalized people. The international community must look beyond geopolitical calculations and take decisive steps to protect human lives and halt the cycle of violence in the region.
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The Writer:
Asif Showkat Kallol: Works for the German-based online outlet The Mirror Asia as Head of News and is a Contributor at Pressenza-Dhaka Bureau.
