Staff Reporter :
In the escalating conflicts between the Junta military and insurgents in Myanmar, bullets and mortar shells fragments are landing inside the Bandarban district, creating an intense panic among the locals who are fleeing for safe places.
Meanwhile, two Bangladeshis sustained injuries from gunfire originating from the Myanmar side while intense firings have forced at least 58 Border Guard Police (BGP) members to seek refuge in Bandarban district on Sunday morning, Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) Public Relations Officer Shariful Islam said on Sunday.
On the other hand, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in the Secretariat on Sunday said, “We don’t know how long the conflict will continue in Myanmar.
But we would not allow anybody cross our border. We have directed our BGB about it.”
The Myanmar security members, who violated the international law, were immediately disarmed by the BGB and their arms and ammunitions were confiscated.
Such incidents of landing bullets and mortar shells also happed on August 28 2022 and 3 September 2022. At that time Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh summoned Myanmar’s ambassador not to violate international border law. But such incidents happened several times in the past.
Meanwhile, locals adjacent to the borders of Bandarban are passing fearful days and nights as the sound of mortar shells and gunfire continues near the Ghumdum border area of Naikhongchhari Upazila in Bandarban.
Earlier, incidents of mortar shells and bullets hitting locations like Tomburu, Konapara, and Pashchim Ghumdhum have also been reported.
Around 3,000 residents from two villages along the Tumburu border in Bandarban took refuge elsewhere amid the escalating conflicts as bullets and mortar shell fragments are landing inside the houses of the locals.
Khaleda Begum, a reserved female member of Ghumdhum Union, stated, “Three Bangladeshis were shot around 10 am on Sunday. Subsequently, they were evacuated by helicopter for treatment.”
The two injured were Rahima Begum (40), Prabirchandra (50) and Shamsul Alam.
Meanwhile, local administration and BGB said that they have taken extensive precautionary measures to face the situation in the affected areas.
BGB said that the 58 BGP members, who trespassed into Bangladesh in the early morning, were under their custody and action would be taken following the international law.
As per local reports, the injured BGP members had received initial medical treatment.
A government official, requesting anonymity, revealed, “BGP members crossed into Bangladesh this morning and voluntarily handed over their weapons to the BGB.”
Meanwhile, Lt Col Mohammad Saiful Islam Chowdhury, the Commanding Officer of 34 BGB Battalion, emphasised strict vigilance to prevent any unauthorised entries and reassured that Rohingya refugees would not be allowed to enter the country.
Meanwhile, at least five schools and one Madrasas were closed for indefinite period to avoid any kind of mishap, local administration of Lama said.
Local administration has also instructed the locals not to use the vehicles near the borders amid the destabilising situation.
In the Dhumdhum Union Parishad’s Ward 3, Member Md. Alam reported that the intensity of gunfire heard since Saturday evening hasn’t subsided.
This has caused fear among the general public, prompting them to evacuate their homes.
On Saturday night and Sunday morning, mortar shells fell on the residence of Elias Hossen in Tumburu, with no reported casualties.
“Several other projectiles have also hit the area. The situation remains tense, and people are unable to leave their homes. Many residents from Konapara and Pashchimpara have already fled their homes,” a local youth Ashraful Islam.
Deputy Commissioner Shah Mujahid Uddin and Police Superintendent Saikat Shahin visited the Ghumdhum area.
“A tense situation is prevailing in the Ghumdhum border due to firing across the border. But the situation is under favourable condition” Mujahid Uddin said.
“The vehicular movement on the highways along the Myanmar border has been closed. Local people have been instructed to remain alert and to take shelter in safe areas,” he added. Law enforcers including BGB and Police are in high alert, he said.
Ghumdhum Union Parishad Chairman Jahangir Aziz cautioned residents to remain vigilant due to the intensified sounds of gunfire from Myanmar.
Despite sporadic gunfire heard at night in Ukhia and Teknaf along the border, locals report more intense gunfire in the direction of Myanmar around 9 am.
The ongoing conflicts have forced the local administration to shut down the educational institutions.
Helal Uddin, Headmaster of Paschimkul Government Primary School, said, “The border echoed with heavy gunfire on Sunday morning, and the shelling persisted until noon. No students attended the school due to the prevailing panic.
However, all the teachers were present. The decision for students to return will hinge on the border situation.”
“Five primary schools and one Madrasa have been closes amid the escalating firing,” Shantunu Kumar Das, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Lama told the New Nation on Sunday.
He further said that they have informed the local representatives to remain alert under any situation.
This was not the first instance that such firing of bullets and mortar shells entered in Bangladesh.
