Dhaka: The Bangladesh Army today binned an Indian media outlet report claiming that it decided to declare the northeastern Bandarban hill district and neighboring Cox’s Bazar as a ‘military zone’, both bordering the troubled Rakhine state of Myanmar.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the article titled ‘Bangladesh to declare Cox’s Bazar to Bandarban area as a ‘military operations zone’ by Northeast News is a clear example of deliberate disinformation propagated by segments of the Indian media seeking to destabilize Bangladesh’s internal cohesion and undermine its armed forces, as stated by the Inter Services Public Relation Directorate (ISPR).
The Northeast News on Saturday carried the article claiming a vast swathe of territory between Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban would be declared a ‘military operations zone’ or MOZ. It claimed that the decision would ‘not only facilitate the Bangladesh Army’s plans to support the Arkan Army but will also ‘effectively address’ ongoing border security challenges’.
The ISPR statement denounced the claim, saying the insinuation that the Bangladesh Army supports insurgent actors ‘is not only baseless but malicious’. It emphasized that such speculative reporting, devoid of evidence, reflects a broader agenda to sow discord and mislead the public.
The statement further added that this narrative is not journalism; it is part of a sustained smear campaign. The Bangladesh Army, however, assured that “There will be no compromise on national interest – now or ever,” adding that the military always upheld the highest standards of professionalism and remained resolutely committed to protecting the nation’s sovereignty, integrity, and constitutional order.