COXS BAZAR: At least 58 soldiers of Myanmar paramilitary Border Guard Police (BGP) today took refuge in Bangladesh fleeing their posts amid reports of heavy gunfights between the government troops and the rebels in the junta-run country.
"Fifty eight BGP personnel took shelter in Bangladesh throughout the day since the predawn hours. Fourteen of them crossed the border with bullet wounds and are being treated at different hospitals including health facilities in Rohingya camps," said an official familiar with the development.
He added the paramilitary soldiers were kept under their counterpart Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) custody in Cox Bazar while the weapons they carried with them were deposited in BGB cache.
US President Joe Biden has written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing his willingness to work together to achieve Bangladesh economic goals.
"He (Biden) also expressed willingness to partnering with Bangladesh on their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," said a foreign ministry press release here this evening.
"The United States is committed to supporting Bangladesh ambitious economic goals and partnering with Bangladesh on our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," Biden said in his letter.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has invited his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina to pay an official bilateral visit to Hanoi.
The formal invitation was handed over to foreign minister Dr Hasna Mahmud by his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son at a bilateral meeting today on the sideline of the 3rd Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum being held in Brussels, a foreign ministry press release said here.
During the meeting, the Vietnamese foreign minister also invited Hasan Mahmud to visit Hanoi to further strengthen the 5- year-long friendly relations between Bangladesh and Vietnam.
Stakeholders see a bright prospect of cooperation in relations between Bangladesh and Thailand as Ahsanul Islam Titu, a business graduate from a Thai university, has been appointed State Minister for Commerce.
The optimism was expressed when the Assumption University Alumni Association of Bangladesh (AUAAB) hosted a reception in the honor of Titu, a distinguished alumnus, at a city hotel on Wednesday night.
Expressing confidence in Titu capabilities, Thai Ambassador to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor said, "I can see a bright future in terms of Thailand-Bangladesh relations. The newly-appointed State Minister will play a crucial role in supporting and strengthening collaboration between the two countries. The Royal Thai Embassy stands in support."
AUAAB, dedicated to fostering connections among ABAC graduates, serves as a dynamic platform for career counseling and strategic partnerships in various sectors. It is also committed to collaborating with the Thai Embassy in promoting bilateral relations in the areas of education, trade, hospitality, tourism, and healthcare.
AUAAB President Sayeed Hassan reflected on Titu journey and said, “We believe with his knowledge and skills, he will make extensive contributions to the country economy. I wish him all the success."