The Dreaded Black Triangle: the Border between Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar
According to reports virtually no country has any control over the several thousand square kilometers of the trilateral border between Bangladesh, India and Myanmar.
By Anwar A. Khan
The border area of Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, known as the Black Triangle, has been becoming dreadful, dangerous place. In this triangle area of several thousand kilometers, huge quantity of opium is being produced, which is one of the raw materials of heroin. In addition, manufacturing of lethal weapons is going on in the area as it is reported.
The several thousand square kilometer area on the ‘Black Triangle’ has already gained notoriety for drug and arms trade. After the Arakan Army took over most of the Myanmar part of it, the illegal drug and arms trade began to expand. Experts fear that the black triangle’s illegal arms and drug trade will have a direct impact on Bangladesh. The damage is shot to increase.
Media reports say that no country has virtually control over the several thousand square kilometers of the trilateral border between Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. As a result, weapons and drugs are being sold at a large rate in this area. If the area is not stabilized, it will cause disaster for Bangladesh in the near future.
According to the investigation, the Black Triangle is one of the most crime-prone areas in South Asia, covering 30,000 square kilometers of inaccessible mountainous areas of Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. It consists of the land of Rangamati, Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and parts of Mizoram State in India and China and Rakhine State in Myanmar.
Most of which fell again in China and Rakhine state. Formerly Arakan Army, Brotherhood, Kachin Defense Army (KDI), Kachin National Front (CNF), Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), China National Army, Kuki-China National Front (KNF), China Defense Force (CDF), China Liberation At least 15 separatist organizations, including the Army, Miju National Front (MNF), controlled the Black Triangle.
But for six months, the Arakan Army began to single-handedly dominate Myanmar’s China and Rakhine states. The Arakan Army has occupied most of the territory of Arakan State by defeating the government forces.
Which includes the whole of the Myanmar part of the Black Triangle. Yaba and crystal meth shipments are also coming from the Sun State of Myanmar, known as the Golden Triangle of drugs, and have become the Black Triangle; which enters Bangladesh through Rangamati, Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar. In addition to drug trafficking, sophisticated firearms are being manufactured at a large rate in this area known as the Black Triangle.
After parts of Myanmar fell to the Arakan Army, it turned to arms manufacturing and drug trafficking on an even larger scale to raise revenue. Humayan Kabir Khondkar, deputy director of the Chittagong region of the Narcotics Control Department, is researching the crimes in the border areas of the country. At least 15 groups once controlled the Myanmar part of the Black Triangle, he said.
But at present the Arakan Army is controlling almost the whole of that part by defeating the Myanmar Army. Arakan Army was already trading drugs and arms in that area. Their illegal business is expanding after the Black Triangle takes full control which will directly affect Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is situated in the South Asia region. Myanmar is also a South East Asian country. These two countries are neighbors. The major border of Bangladesh is with India. Bangladesh shares only 283 km border with Myanmar which is situated to the south eastern part of Bangladesh. There is an immigration and customs point along the Bangladesh-Myanmar which is located in Teknaf under the district of Cox’s Bazar
According to collected data from Teknaf Police Station, there are four types of crimes along the Bangladesh-Myanmar Border. These are: Human trafficking; Drug trafficking; Smuggling of the different kinds of goods; and Illegal movements. Also, the other three types of crimes: human trafficking, drug trafficking and smuggling of goods, are the transnational organized crime along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border except illegal movements.
The Dreadful Black Triangle threatens Bangladesh through drug, arms trade and its direct impact on Bangladesh, arms and drug trafficking will increase intensely if fitful measures are not taken tout de suite!
The author is a Dhaka based freedom fighter who writes on politics and international issues.
Views are personal and International Affairs Review neither endorses them nor are responsible for them.
