Huzaifa dies 27 days after being shot at Teknaf border

Huzaifa Afnan, 12, a child critically injured by gunfire from across the Myanmar border in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, has died after 27 days of treatment.

She passed away on Saturday at 9:45am at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Dhaka, where she had been receiving advanced care.

Huzaifa’s uncle, Shawkat Ali, told reporters that doctors declared her dead in the morning and preparations were underway to bring her body home.

The child was shot on January 11 near Techi Bridge in Whykong, Teknaf, by bullets originating from Myanmar. She was first treated locally and later admitted to the ICU of Chattogram Medical College Hospital. On January 13, she was transferred to Dhaka for specialized treatment after doctors were unable to safely remove the bullet lodged in her brain.

Huzaifa’s death highlights rising concerns over border security, as recent incidents of cross-border shelling, drone attacks, and mortar fire from Myanmar’s Rakhine state have endangered nearby Bangladeshi communities.

Residents report that stray bullets are striking homes, shrimp farms, and the Naf River, raising urgent safety concerns along the border.