Red alert along Bandarban frontier amid security concerns

A red alert has been issued along the Ghumdhum border area in Bandarban as a precautionary measure against potential threats to law and order and cross-border smuggling activities, Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ara Rini confirmed on Thursday, October 2.

The alert, effective from Thursday morning, follows escalating instability in neighbouring Myanmar, where an ongoing armed conflict between government forces and ethnic armed groups, particularly the Arakan Army (AA),has led to the group’s control over large stretches of territory along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

Local sources report that the Arakan Army, which is fighting for greater autonomy or independence for Rakhine State, has increasingly been accused of involvement in drug trafficking and other forms of cross-border smuggling into Bangladesh. The group’s growing presence and alleged criminal activities have raised serious security concerns in border regions like Ghumdhum.

“The red alert is a standard protocol when there’s a credible threat to law and order in sensitive border zones,” said Deputy Commissioner Rini. “It allows security forces to heighten vigilance and respond swiftly to any emerging situation.”

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has already been placed on high alert in the area for several days, though no formal public notification has been issued. Authorities have not reported any direct incursions or incidents on the Bangladeshi side, but the alert underscores growing unease over spillover effects from the conflict in Myanmar.

Officials stress that the measure is preventive and aimed at safeguarding local communities and maintaining national security along the volatile frontier.