Sound of explosions again on Myanmar-Teknaf border

After remaining calm for a week, gunfire and mortar shell explosions were again heard across the Naf River.

Local residents of Teknaf upazila in Cox's Bazar said that gunshots were heard on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border till 3:00am today (March 25) in Kharankhali, Naya Bazar, Mina Bazar, Kanzor Para, Jimkhali, Unchiprang and Lombabil areas of Hoaikyong union in the upazila.

BGB Teknaf-2 battalion commander Lt Col Mohiuddin Ahmed said, “Considering the situation, BGB members are ready to deal with any kind of security threat including border infiltration.”

At the beginning of February this year, rebels clashed with the Myanmar government forces at Tumbru border at Ghumdhum union under Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban. A significant number of Myanmar government troops, mainly the Border Guard Police (BGP) of Myanmar, took refuge in Bangladesh. They were repatriated on 15 February.

The situation remained volatile after the conflict spread across the border from Naikhongchhari to Teknaf. Many people belonging to the Rohingya community live in border villages.

The ongoing clashes between the Myanmar junta and the Arakan Army have also resulted in casualties on this side of the border.
On February 5, a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man were killed in a mortar shell blast fired from across the Myanmar border at Ghumdhum union in Naikhongchhari.