US embassy cable - 05DHAKA1247

UNCLAS DHAKA 001247 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PARM, BG 
SUBJECT: ANTI-PERSONNEL LAND MINE STOCKPILE DESTROYED 
 
1. On March 8, the MFA sent us a diplomatic note stating that 
as of February 28, 2005 it has destroyed all if its 
anti-personnel mines, while retaining some for training 
purposes as provided by the Convention on the Prohibition of 
the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of 
Anti-Personnel Mines and their Destruction.   Under the 
provisions of the Convention, anti-personnel mines were to be 
destroyed by March 1, 2005. 
 
2. Last Fall 2004, Bangladesh started destroying its 200,000 
anti-personnel mines under a UN Anti-Personnel Mine Treaty 
signed in Ottawa 1997, according to media accounts. 
Bangladesh acquired the landmines from China, Iran, India, 
Pakistan, the US, the former Yugoslavia with many mines left 
over from the 1971 war of independence with Pakistan. 
Bangladesh will keep 15,000 landmines for training purposes 
including UN peace keeping assignments. 
 
3. Landmines reportedly remain along a 200-kilometer stretch 
of the Burmese border in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the 
Ukhia and Ramu sub-districts of the Cox's Bazaar District and 
the Naikongchari, Alikadam and Thansi sub-districts of the 
Bandarban district located in the south-east part of 
Bangladesh. 
THOMAS