The army of Myanmar has become seriously haphazard due to sharp attack from rebel fighters. According to the report of an agency, at least 30,000 soldiers have killed or wounded so far after the military coup. The rebel groups have been capturing an area or military base every day. In the face of scarcity of sufficient number of soldiers, the junta government has made it mandatory for the youth of the country to join the military.
The battle between Myanmar Army and rebel groups has taken intense form near the Bangladesh border. The residents live inside the Bangladesh border have heard the sound of gunshot and firing coming from Myanmar part on the other side of Ghumdhum-Tombru border of Naikhyangchori upazila of Bandarban. At the same time, the bomb disposal unit of Bangladesh Army has disabled two RPGs (rocket launcher) found inside the Bangladesh territory on Friday and Saturday. Besides, three bodies have been floated in the Balukhali canal of border area of Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar. Ukhiya thana police also recovered another body. The above information was revealed from the news sent by the correspondents of The Bangladesh Pratidin.
Our Bandarban correspondent quoted Jahangir Aziz, chairman of Ghumdhum Union Parishad, as saying that from late Saturday night to 7 am Sunday, the residents of the other side of the border heard the sound of gunfire again in the Myanmar part across the border of Bangladesh-Myanmar, adjacent to Ghumdhum-Tamburu of Naikyongchari upazila. No gunfire was heard from across the border on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. However, the sound of gunshots was heard intermittently from late Saturday night to 7am on Sunday, but no more gunshots were heard throughout the day on Sunday.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sources said two RPGs (rocket launchers) found in the Tambru area of Ghumdhum on Friday and Saturday were defused by the army's 'Bomb Disposal Unit' on Sunday afternoon. BGB members are still seen patrolling the border round the clock. Five government primary schools in Ghumdhum Union, which were closed for security reasons in the cross-border conflict, are yet to be opened.
District Primary Education Officer Abdul Mannan said, “If the situation improves, after consultation with the local administration, Baishfandi Government Primary School, Bhajabunia Government Primary School, Tambru Government Primary School, Paschimkul Tambru Government Primary School and Dakshin Ghumdhum Government Primary School, which have been temporarily closed since last Monday, will be opened.”
According to our Cox's Bazar representative, “Three more bodies were found in the Balukhali canal bordering Palongkhali union of Ukhia upazila. Meanwhile, the police of Ukhia police station recovered a body at around 2 pm on Sunday. The recovered body had a helmet and gloves. Apart from this, two more bodies were found by the settlers in the area near the zero point on the upper side of the Balukhali canal. The bodies are lying in the garbage between the bushes of two canals and are seen in a viral video. Local residents believe the bodies may belong to a Myanmar insurgent group.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Ukhiya police station Shamim Hossain said, “The local people informed the police after seeing the bodies floating in the Balukhali Canal which is connected to the Naf River and the police recovered a body. The identity of the body could not be confirmed.”
However, he did not say anything about the other two bodies.
According to the police, the recovered body has a helmet on its head and gloves on its hands. The body is bloated. The police believe that he was killed a few days ago. Earlier on Saturday, the police recovered an unidentified body from Rahmat Bill in Ukhiya border area. The identity of the body has not yet been identified.
Meanwhile, Ukhiya Police Station OC Mohammad Shamim Hossain said the floating body was had a khaki helmet on its head. There was a waist band, 99 bullets, two magazines were recovered from a bag strapped to the body.
On the other hand, it is reported that the Myanmar Navy ship that came to pick up the 330 members of the Myanmar Border Guard Police who have taken refuge in Bangladesh has not yet arrived in Bangladesh waters.
It should be noted that for a few days, there has been a clash between Myanmar's border guard force BGP and the rebel group Arakan Army on the other side of Naikhyongchari and Ukhiya border. It has been reported that the Arakan Army has already defeated the BGP and captured several bases of the Myanmar junta forces including the Tumbru right camp and Dhengibnia border post. It has been reported that Rohingya rebels are also involved in these clashes.
Youth forced to join army: Myanmar's junta government has issued new rules for the country's youth amid ongoing violence. The junta has made it mandatory for all young men and women in the country to join the army. Reuters on Sunday reported that all men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 in Myanmar must serve in the army for up to two years. Apart from this, 45-year-old doctors have to serve three years in the army. Currently, the country's military is fighting with armed rebel forces in various parts of the country. In the meantime, the junta announced this mandatory participation in the army.
(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on February 12 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque Khan)
