Working closely with B'desh govt, says army amid reports of rift with Yunus

DHAKA: Senior Bangladesh army officers on Monday seemed to put to rest reports of differences between the military and the Muhammad Yunus-headed interim govt, emphasising their unified effort to safeguard national interests and sovereignty.

This came days after a rift burst into the open over a controversial proposal to facilitate a " humanitarian corridor " to Myanmar through Bangladesh.

Earlier, Yunus had appeared to have backed the proposal without the knowledge of the the army, prompting a rebuke from army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman , who called the idea a "bloody corridor".

Speaking to journalists at the Officers' Mess in the Dhaka Cantonment, officials said the army and govt are working in close coordination, and speculation about tension is unfounded.

"Bangladesh's welfare and sovereignty is a concern for all of us. If we want to keep this country safe, we must take responsibility ourselves. If anything goes wrong, we are equally accountable," director of military operations directorate brigadier general Md Nazim-ud-Daula said. He also urged the media not to "misinterpret discussions surrounding civil-military relations". "Govt and army are working together seamlessly. We are not at odds," he said. Colonel Md Shafiqul Islam said: "This is a sensitive matter. Let me be clear- the Bangladesh army will never be involved in any action that could compromise national security."