The Bangladesh Army’s Ramu-based 10th Division is emerging as the centre of a US-backed operation aimed at providing logistics and supplies support to the Arakan Army in the forthcoming military action in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
In a key development, Bangladesh’s newly appointed National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, who holds concurrent charge as the Chief Advisor’s High Representative on the Rohingya Problem and Priority Issues, today had a secret meeting with 10th Division senior officers, including General Officer Commanding Major General Mohammad Asadullah Minhazul Alam.
While earlier in the day, Khalilur Rahman offered Friday prayers at one of the 10th Division camps, he later had an extended meeting with senior officers.
It is learnt that the Bangladesh Army’s 17th and 24th Divisions will also play a critical role in the operation aimed at providing logistical and supply support to the Arakan Army.
Northeast News had earlier reported that from a military-logistics perspective, the Bangladesh Army has already begun work on building a massive facility near Teknaf, from where there are plans to push supplies and other materials that the coalition forces will use as part of a US-backed proxy war against the Myanmar military junta which now remains in effective control of only three townships in the Rakhine State.
A large team of American officials, which accompanied the three US State Department officials, who arrived in Dhaka on April 16, undertook a quiet visit to the Chittagong Hill Tracks and Cox’s Bazar, which will be key locations from a military logistics purpose when the Arakan Army launches its operations against the Myanmar junta forces who continue to occupy Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manang townships in the Rakhine State.
The American officials branched out in two groups. While one group visited the CHT areas, the other took a tour of Cox’s Bazar.
The State Department team comprises the US Charge d’Affaires in Naypidaw, Susan Stevenson, Nicole Ann Chulick, Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, and Andrew R Herrup, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
However, these three officials have brought a retinue of at least 12 to 13 other subordinate officials.
While Stevenson, Chulick and Herrup have been meeting Bangladeshi officials in Dhaka to work out a future course of action regarding the Rakhine State, the support staff’s visit to the CHT and Cox’s Bazar was more to acquaint themselves of the ground realities.
It could not be immediately confirmed whether the three officials visited Silkhali (about 30 kms north of Teknaf) which is the proposed site for the Bangladesh Army’s logistics and supplies base close to the border with Myanmar.
