Staff Reporter :
The ongoing conflict between the Myanmar Army and Arakan Army forces continues to impede the establishment of a safe environment for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees who sought shelter in Bangladesh in 2017.
The intensity of the fighting has led to Myanmar Army personnel seeking refuge across the border in Bangladesh to ensure their safety, as they reportedly struggle to withstand the attacks from the Arakan forces.
On Sunday, a group of 88 members of the Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) crossed into Bangladesh through the Teknaf border, armed and seeking protection from the fierce clashes.
They surrendered to the Teknaf Coast Guard at the Shahparir and Nazirpara border areas, as confirmed by Lt. Tahsin Rahman, a media official of Coast Guard Chattogram (East).
Lt. Rahman stated, “The surrendered BGP members would be handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) soon.”
The official further added that they are ready for any situation along the border.
Mohammad Islam, a local resident, said, “We have been hearing gunfire from within Myanmar and witnessing the influx of BGP members seeking refuge in Bangladesh.
Additionally, we have also heard that there are reports of Rohingyas attempting to enter Bangladesh through the border.”
Previously, a total of 618 members of the BGP and Myanmar military were sent back to their countries twice. Of these, 288 BGP military personnel were repatriated on April 25 and 330 on February 15 by Bangladesh.
Despite numerous attempts, the repatriation of Rohingya Muslims to their homes in Rakhine State has not been implemented, even six years after the initial displacement in 2017.
The international community has always vowed to create a safe, durable, and sustainable environment before commencing any repatriation process.
Even a group of Rohingya individuals who visited Rakhine last year reported that they did not find a safe environment for their return. Though China is mediating to resolve the crisis through the repatriation process, several tripartite meetings were also held, including the Kunming meeting in April last year.
However, Western countries, which are funding assistance for the Rohingyas, have expressed concerns about the lack of a favourable environment in Rakhine and the reluctance of the Rohingyas to return amid the volatile atmosphere. Even the United Nations said that repatriation of the Rohingyas amid a volatile situation would not be correct until a favourable condition prevailed there.
In recent months, fierce fighting between the Myanmar Army and Arakan Army has intensified, creating an atmosphere of fear along the borders. In the last several months, there has been fierce fighting between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army, creating an environment of fear along the borders.
Many mortar shells and bullets entered Bangladeshi territory during the clashes along the borders. The local residents of Bangladesh were also evacuated to avoid any casualties.
At that time, the Myanmar Army entered Bangladesh to save their lives, although they were handed over later when the situation improved.
The trend of entering Bangladeshi territory by the Myanmar Army and BGP members, however, is not being stopped, which is a clear sign of a volatile situation there.
But the lingering of conflicts is creating a burden for Bangladesh as the Rohingya repatriation process is not yet within sight.
