DHAKA, Nov 8: Bangladesh put its paramilitary border guards (BDR) on high alert along the border with Myanmar on Saturday after Yangon mobilised troops in frontier areas.

The reinforcement of Myanmar troops along more than 300 kilometres of mostly hilly border aggravated tensions in the Bay of Bengal in the wake of Myanmar’s move to explore the sea bed for oil.

“We, too, have been asked to maintain high alert in view of the latest situation,” Major Helal Mohammad Khan, a BDR operation officer in Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, told the media in Dhaka.

Local officials have advised people living in the border areas to leave their homes as and when the situation warranted.

Foreign affairs adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury vowed to take all necessary measures to protect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The latest row between the two countries surfaced on Nov 1 when Myanmar began hydrocarbon exploration in the Bay of Bengal.

Although Yangon suspended the exploration after a few days, it declined to pull out from the exploration area.

Agencies add: The dispute surfaced after Myanmar started oil and gas exploration last week in a stretch of the sea both countries claim.

Bangladesh deployed naval ships to the area and simultaneously sent a diplomatic team to Yangon seeking to solve the issue through negotiations.

“The meeting ended without any resolution, but we have apprised our claim on the territory to the Myanmar authorities,” a foreign ministry official said on Saturday.

Earlier in the week Bangladesh said a Korean company hired by Myanmar to explore for oil and gas in the disputed waters was withdrawing.

Myanmar said it had paused in its exploration activities in the disputed waters, but would not give up its claim on the territory.

Dhaka has noted the issue to China, a friend of both, and China advised the countries to solve the issue amicably.

The head of Bangladesh’s army-backed interim government, Fakhruddin Ahmed, held a meeting on Thursday with the armed forces chiefs and foreign ministry officials to take stock of the situation.

Foreign Adviser (minister) Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said the meeting underscored Bangladesh’s “strong resolve” to protect sovereign territory, including in the Bay.

Bangladesh and Myanmar have been holding talks for years trying to settle their claims in the Bay of Bengal.

Technical delegations from both sides were scheduled to meet in Dhaka on Nov. 16 and 17 to discuss maritime boundary demarcation, officials said.