The intensifying conflict between rebels and government forces within Myanmar has heightened tensions and instilled fear along the Burmese border, punctuated by sporadic gunfire and mortar shell explosions. Bangladesh, closely monitoring the situation, braces for potential repercussions.
Amidst the turmoil, a growing number of individuals seek refuge in Bangladesh from Myanmar, with 264 individuals, including members of the Border Guard Police (BGP), army, and police forces of Myanmar, already crossing into the country. Reports also indicate instances of Rohingya infiltration. In response to the precarious situation, local authorities are facilitating the evacuation of Bangladeshi border residents to safety.
Incidents of violence have escalated, with two houses struck by mortar shells and five others targeted by gunfire between Monday night and Tuesday afternoon. On Tuesday, five Bangladeshi nationals sustained injuries from gunfire originating from Myanmar.
While acknowledging Myanmar's internal conflict as an internal matter, Bangladesh expresses mounting concern over the potential infiltration of Myanmar border guards or military personnel. Various Bangladesh forces, including the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), remain on high alert in response to the escalating situation.
Members of the BGP are fleeing to Bangladesh for self-defense due to the ongoing conflict inside Myanmar. According to BGB headquarters, 264 people including BGP, army and police have fled to Bangladesh. 35 more people joined Tuesday afternoon. Out of 264 people, 183 are members of BGP. The rest include civilians including Army personnel, CID, Police, Special Branch, Immigration personnel.
Gafur Uddin Chowdhury, chairman of Palongkhali Union Parishad of Ukhia, said that Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) members escaped through the border of my area in the face of the Arakan Army's attack in Myanmar. They are now in BGB custody. Many of them are also injured.
Initiative to evacuate residents of border areas: Cox's Bazar and Bandarban representatives said that in the context of casualties and panic inside Bangladesh due to the war in Myanmar, Cox's Bazar and Bandarban district administration has taken an initiative to evacuate the residents of dangerous border areas to safe shelter.
Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar Muhammad Shahin Imran and Deputy Commissioner of Bandarban Shah Mujahid Uddin said that they have already instructed the concerned upazila officials. After a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya were killed in a mortar shelling in Jalpaitoli village of Ghumdhum on Monday, local residents living near the border are in a state of panic.
Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Shah Mujahid Uddin and Superintendent of Police Saikat Shaheen visited Ghumdhum border on Tuesday to see the border situation. The Deputy Commissioner said that the upazila administration and Ghumdhum Union Parishad have been advised to keep the 240 families living in and around the border in a safe place due to the ongoing situation on the other side. For this purpose North Ghumdhum Government Primary School has been declared as a temporary shelter camp.
Schools along the border will remain closed until the situation normalizes. Apart from this, it is being considered to move the SSC examination center at Ghumdhum High School to a nearby government educational institution considering the security aspect. Since then, many residents of the border and surrounding areas have left their homes and gone to their relatives' homes in safe places. Work has started to bring those who are still staying there to the temporary shelter from the Union Parishad. Local administration and public representatives are working on the issue.
Chairman of Ghumdhum Union Parishad AKM Jahangir Aziz said that the local people are in fear due to the shelling on the Myanmar border for 5-6 consecutive days. Considering the situation, Cox's Bazar district administration has decided to move the people of Ukhia and Teknaf border areas of Cox's Bazar to safety.
Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Shahin Imran said that the conflict has increased in Myanmar. From there, the bullets and mortar shells are coming to the houses on the other side of the border. In view of this, there are instructions for the safe evacuation of people living near the Myanmar border.
Five youths injured in firing from Myanmar, mortar shells falling in the yard: Five Bangladeshi were injured in firing from Myanmar on Tuesday. Among them, one person was shot at Ghumdhum border and four people were shot at Palangkhali border in Ukhia.
Gafur Uddin Chowdhury, chairman of Palongkhali Union of Ukhia, said that four people from the border area were shot on Tuesday, from noon to evening. Ayubul Islam of Nalbania area of Palongkhali Union, Anwar Hossain of Rahmat Bill area, Mobarak Hossain of Putibnia area and Md. Kalu is injured and undergoing treatment at the hospital. While going to the shelter in the afternoon, one named Syed Alam was injured by bullets coming from the other side.
Injured Syed Alam said that while going from home to the shelter, the bullet fired from Myanmar first hit a tree and grazed his forehead. Later he went to the local medical center and got first aid.
Gafur Uddin Chowdhury, chairman of Palongkhali Union Parishad, said that since Monday night, the fighting between the two sides increased. We have never seen so much vibration. After each shot, the entire area trembled. People spent a sleepless night. Jalpaitli, Bazarpara, Ghumdhum Madhyampara of the border areas are almost deserted for the last 2-3 days. Shops in Tumbru Bazar, Betbunia Bazar are also closed. On the other side of the Ghumdhum-Tumbru border, the shelling subsided in the afternoon yesterday, and since the afternoon, the sound of shelling has been heard intermittently, border residents said.
Khaleda Begum, a reserved woman member of Ghumdhum Union Parishad, said that many mortar shells have fallen in rice paddies or on hills. People are not leaving the house, so they are not visible. Apart from this, there is no account of how many bullets have fallen. Locals are most afraid of the mortar falling on the homestead. However, while most of the people in the areas near the border have gone to shelters, some people are guarding their homes.
Four members of the BGP shot are being treated at Chittagong Medical College Hospital: Chattogram correspondent said that four members of the BGP who were shot in the ongoing conflict with the rebels inside Myanmar have been admitted to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital. They are U Po (48), Kia Than Sin (29), Kin Mong (20) and La Ni Mong (30). Border Guard BGB brought them to the hospital on Monday night.
Colonel Shahed Minhaj Siddiqui, captain of BGB-8 Chittagong, said that due to the current situation in Myanmar, several Border Guard Police (BGP) of that country have taken refuge in Bangladesh through the Cox's Bazar border. Several of their injured BGP members have also taken refuge with the BGB during the clashes in the border areas. They were treated locally. Four people were found in critical condition among the injured. They have been shifted to Chittagong Medical College for better treatment. For the safety of injured BGP members, they will be under the guard of BGB during treatment.
BGB resisted a boat loaded with 65 Rohingyas: Members of the BGB resisted a boat loaded with 65 Rohingyas trying to enter Bangladesh from Myanmar through the Damdamiya Naf Nad Zero Line of Hnila in Teknaf Upazila of Cox's Bazar. Teknaf 2 BGB captain Lt. Col. Mohiuddin Ahmed confirmed this information. The boat was later forced to return to Myanmar. No new Rohingya will be allowed to enter Bangladesh. BGB is on alert at the border to prevent them from entering Bangladesh.
Arakan Army captures two more bases of Junta in Rakhine: Myanmar's insurgent group Arakan Army (AA) has claimed to capture the headquarters of two more battalions of Junta forces in Rakhine's Mrauk U and Kyaktao towns. The group in Rakhine State, which has been fighting for greater autonomy, said there had been heavy clashes during the operation to seize the army headquarters. Many soldiers of the Myanmar junta were killed in this. Yesterday, Myanmar's local media reported this information in a report of The Irrawaddy.
(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on February 7 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)
