Myanmar civil feud deepens security concerns for BD
Diplomatic Correspondent :
The escalating internal conflict in Myanmar is spilling over into Bangladesh, where border communities are increasingly vulnerable to gunfire, mortar shell explosions, and armed clashes.
This rising violence, exacerbated by the insurgent activities of groups like the Arakan Army (AA) and ongoing military clashes with Myanmar’s junta, has significantly destabilised the border region.
Amid this chaos, the long-standing Rohingya refugee crisis remains tragically unresolved, and the international community’s pursuit of justice through the International Court of Justice (ICJ) “genocide case” faces mounting complexities on the ground.
For residents of Teknaf and Naikhongchhari, the sounds of war are no longer distant. Recent weeks have seen intense aerial bombardments and drone strikes by the Myanmar military targeting AA positions, with explosions frequently shaking Bangladeshi homes.
The human cost of this spillover was highlighted in the morning of January 11, when 11-year-old Huzaifa Afnan was struck by a stray bullet in the Teccibridge area of Whykong union.
The child was out buying breakfast with her grandfather when gunfire from across the border struck her in the head.
Officer-in-Charge of the Teknaf Police Station, Md Saiful Islam, confirmed the injury, stating, “The injury was caused by stray gunfire originating from across the border amid ongoing conflict”.
While initial reports feared she had died, Cox’s Bazar Additional Superintendent of Police Alok Biswas later clarified that the child was alive but in critical condition at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) with a bullet lodged deep in her brain.
In another incident, a Bangladeshi youth was critically injured in a landmine explosion along the Teknaf border on Monday, just one day after Afnan was wounded by a stray bullet fired from across the Myanmar border.
The victim, identified as Mohammad Hanif, 28, from the Lombabil area of Whykong union in Teknaf upazila, was working at a fish project near Shahjahan Island when the explosion occurred around 10:00 am.
According to local sources, Hanif was near the Naf River when the mine detonated, throwing him into the river. He was later rescued by fishermen, but his left leg was completely severed by the blast.
Locals suspect that the landmine was planted by the Arakan Army, an armed insurgent group active in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
After the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar, the dream of a safe return for the 1.1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh remains “non-existent”. Instead, the crisis is expandin.
An estimated 200,000 new arrivals have crossed into Bangladesh over the past 18 months to escape renewed fighting.
Inside the camps, a “growing sense of hopelessness” is being exploited by armed groups.
This surge in militancy coincides with drastic funding cuts. The US decision to freeze and slash international assistance – which previously accounted for over half of the humanitarian response – has forced aid agencies to scale back essential health and education services.
Experts warn that as food rations are threatened, joining armed groups or criminal gangs becomes an “obvious coping strategy” for young men in the camps.
Beyond physical safety, the conflict has paralyzed the local economy. Fishing in the Naf River has been frequently restricted due to the abduction of fishermen by various factions, including the AA.
Tourism in Cox’s Bazar and St. Martin’s Island has similarly suffered, with supply vessels occasionally targeted by gunfire and the island facing food and fuel shortages during prolonged ship suspensions.
Furthermore, the porous border has become a “thriving trade route” for illicit activities. Yaba and crystal meth (Ice) trafficking from Myanmar’s Shan State continues to surge, with reports indicating that nearly 92% of Yaba enters through the Teknaf route.
While the conflict rages, the legal battle for accountability at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) remains a cornerstone of hope for the Rohingya.
Analysts suggest Bangladesh must adopt a “dual-track approach” : maintaining diplomatic pressure on the junta while cautiously engaging the Arakan Army to discuss humanitarian corridors and potential repatriation.
Without a concerted international effort to restore funding and resolve root causes – specifically citizenship and security – the border will remain a persistent threat to South Asian stability.
Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, an international relations expert, stated, “Myanmar can no longer resolve this issue in isolation – the Arakan Army must also be factored in.”
He noted that while Bangladesh continues to rely on traditional diplomacy, there is an urgent need to expand efforts through Track II and Track III diplomacy by engaging think tanks, civil society, and regional stakeholders to resolve the crisis.