by Hafizur Rahman
Bangladesh Border Guard personnel arrested an armed member of the Arakan Army near the Bangladesh Myanmar border in Naikhongchhari, Bandarban district, on February 1, 2026, security sources said.
According to officials, a patrol team from Border Guard Bangladesh Battalion 34 was conducting routine duty in the Baishfari border area when they noticed suspicious movement. The team stopped and searched a young man and reportedly recovered weapons and military related items from his possession.
During the search, BGB personnel recovered one assault rifle, three magazines, 180 rounds of ammunition, and one military uniform, authorities said.
The arrested individual was identified as Khine Maung Cho, 20. Officials said he had entered Bangladesh illegally from Myanmar. He was later produced before a court in Bandarban and charged under the Arms Act as well as for illegal border crossing.
Security officials said such cross border movements raise serious concerns for border security in Bangladesh. They also said these activities are often linked to wider networks, including drug smuggling routes operating along the border areas.
Local security analysts warned that repeated incidents of armed crossings could contribute to instability in the region. They stressed the need for continued monitoring and coordinated action by border forces to prevent further security threats and protect people living in the border areas.
Naikhongchhari is located in Bandarban, a sensitive border region that has seen increased security attention amid ongoing conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
