Bangladesh watching situation in Myanmar closely

DHAKA: Bangladesh said it is closely watching the situation in neighbouring Myanmar which is witnessing civil unrest, as analysts expressed fear that the security crackdown on dissidents by the military junta will cause an influx of refugees into the country.

"We have been closely watching the situation in Myanmar since the beginning of the current political crisis," Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain told the New Age newspaper.

The crackdown on protesters led by Buddhist monks has prompted international condemnation, but Dhaka has been subdued in its reaction as, like some of its other neighbours, it wants access to Myanmar's vast energy resources.

Efforts have been on for the past several months to strengthen bilateral ties with Yangon to explore economic opportunities, but Foreign Ministry officials said the present crisis in the South East Asian nation has put a spanner into the works.

Meanwhile, foreign policy analysts are fearing an influx of Myanmarese refugees into Bangladesh due to the unrest.

"We, as the next door neighbour, should raise our voice since there is a clear possibility of influx of refugees. The Myanmar government has begun crackdown on Arakanese people" close to Bangladesh frontiers, said Imtiaz Ahmad, a professor of international relations at Dhaka University.

He said Dhaka should also make its position clear regarding democratisation of Myanmar, which has a pourous border with Bangladesh.