Intermittent gunshots continue along BD-Myanmar border

Staff Reporter :
Police in Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar recovered the bullet-ridden body, which had been lying in the border area for the past two days.
The body was found in the Rahmaterbil area of Ukhiya and was retrieved on Saturday with the assistance of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members, Ukhiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shamim Hossain told the media.

The identity of the deceased remains unknown and efforts are underway by the police to identify the body.

Locals had reported the presence of the body to the BGB on Thursday after spotting it in the Rahmaterbil border area. Subsequently, the BGB notified the police, leading to today’s recovery operation.

Meanwhile, gunshots have been echoing along the border with Myanmar, instilling fear and panic among the residents living in the vicinity.

The situation has been exacerbated by the ongoing conflict between the rebel Arakan Army and the Myanmar military in the Rakhine state.

The border residents, already living in a state of heightened tension, have been further distressed by the barrage of mortar shells and bullets fired at the Hoaikong border fence from Myanmar.

The escalation of violence was particularly evident on Saturday morning when bullets struck the residences of Haji Abul Mansur and Haji Abul Manjur near the mosque in the central Hoaikong border area.

Additionally, bullets hit the grocery shop of Hasan Ali and Dhulu Mia’s house beside the roadside of the Uttarpara of Hoaikong, compounding the sense of insecurity among the local population.

Sirajul Mustafa Lalu, a member of Ward No. 2 of the Hoaikong Union Council, expressed the perpetual fear experienced by those living near the border.

He noted that the sound of gunfire and the prevailing atmosphere of fear deterred people from engaging in their usual activities.
Abu Janan, the BGB Commander in Hoaikong, confirmed the situation, stating that gunfire and bullets from Myanmar had crossed the border.

He assured that necessary measures were being taken to address the situation.

The ongoing firing of bullets and mortar shells along the border has significantly disrupted the daily activities of local residents, particularly farmers and fishermen.

Their ability to work has been consistently hampered, leading to severe consequences for their livelihoods.

If this situation persists, it will have a detrimental impact on their ability to sustain themselves and their families, they said, adding that the border areas are trembling with the sound of gunfire.

Within a 30-kilometer radius of Teknaf, an eerie silence prevails as the ongoing tension prevents fishermen from venturing out to sea to earn their living.

For the past week, hundreds of fishing nets have remained unused, left unattended due to the escalating conflict along the border.
Junayed, a shrimp farmer from Unchiprang area of Teknaf, lamented that last year’s floods and border tensions had hindered their ability to catch fish.

“We had to incur significant losses. We have invested Tk 500,000 in cultivating Bagda shrimps (shrimp fry), but due to the ongoing tensions, we are unable to tend to the shrimp ponds,” he said.

He further said that the situation has forced them to abandon their livelihood activities, putting them at risk of financial ruin.

Akhtar Ahmed, another shrimp farmer from Jhimangkhali, expressed concern over the ongoing conflict, stating that the clashes between Myanmar’s warring factions have restricted their movements near the border, preventing them from tending to their shrimp ponds.

He revealed that they had taken loans from banks to finance their shrimp farming ventures, and the inability to harvest due to the conflict would lead to irreparable losses, pushing them towards destitution.

According to the Upazila Fisheries Office, there are a total of 427 shrimp enclosures in Teknaf.

Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Delowar Hossain stated, “There are a total of 427 shrimp enclosures in Teknaf, involving 842 farmers. We have requested the BGB to allow at least one person to go and tend to the fish in the enclosures.”

“If the fish die, it could lead to significant financial losses for the farmers. If this situation persists, it will have a long-term impact on the livelihoods and economy of the area,” he told the media.

Meanwhile, in Bandarban, another unexploded mortar shell had been recovered by the BGB) along the Tumbru border in Naikhongchhari on Saturday.

The mortar shell was found lying near a bridge in Ward No. 1 of the western part of Tumbru. Upon receiving the news, BGB members retrieved the shell. This marks the discovery of three mortar shells in the area within the past three days.