More Myanmar troops take refuge
Myanmar envoy handed protest note; foreign minister says death of Bangladeshi unacceptable
At least 264 members of Myanmar forces and border guards had taken refuge in Bangladesh as of yesterday, fleeing the ongoing battle between Myanmar troops and the armed group called the Arakan Army.
As many as 114 of them crossed the border yesterday morning, and 35 others came later, according to Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, director general of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
"We gave them shelter and provided them with food," he said, adding that eight of the 15 injured were taken to hospitals in critical conditions.
The shelter seekers include members of immigration police and other agencies, said Shariful Islam, public relations officer of the BGB, adding that the BGB members disarmed them and took them to safety.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday said it was unacceptable that people were dying and getting injured in Bangladesh because of the conflict in Myanmar.
In addition, a group of at least 24 Myanmar nationals with firearms went to the Palongkhali area of Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar, around 10:30am, said local Union Parishad Chairman Gafuruddin Chowdhury.
Rohingya refugees would no longer be allowed to enter Bangladesh territory.
"They had four machine guns. They shot a Bangladeshi, and hurt four others in a grenade attack when the villagers tried to stop them from entering," he said.
One of the locals, named Anwar, was taken to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital in a critical state.
It is unclear which group these men belong to, he said.
Shamim Hossain, officer-in-charge of Ukhiya Police Station, said some of the men could be from the Rohingya refugee camps.
As of last night the 24 men were detained at the Union Parishad building.
In Bandarban district, which has borders with Myanmar, officials turned Ghumdhum Government Primary School into a makeshift shelter for families who were forced to flee their homes because of the fighting at the borders.
The fighting rages on and mortar shells and bullets have been crossing the border in recent days.
Shah Mozahid Uddin, deputy commissioner of Bandarban, who visited the area around 3:00pm, asked locals to take shelter at the school.
Many families have already taken shelter on the school premises, reports our correspondent from Bandarban.
Around 9:00am yesterday, a mortar shell landed on the backyard of a house in Ghumdhum, said Anwar Hossain, a union parishad member.
Meanwhile, BGB Director General Siddiqui told reporters yesterday that Rohingya refugees would no longer be allowed to enter Bangladesh territory.
He added that a boat carrying 65 Rohingyas was stopped by the BGB men, and the boat would be turned away.
On Monday, a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man were killed when a mortar shell fired from Myanmar exploded in Ghumdhum.
FOREIGN MINISTER'S BRIEFING
"At a time when discussions of Rohingya repatriation are going on, Myanmar's conflict is entering Bangladesh. Mortar shells are falling onto our side of the border and injuring and killing our people…. We have summoned the Myanmar envoy and issued a strong protest," Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told reporters at his ministry yesterday.
The foreign ministry summoned Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh U Aung Kyaw Mow to state guest house Padma. Foreign Ministry Director General Mia Md Mainul Kabir handed the protest note to Aung Kyaw there.
About those seeking shelter in Bangladesh, Hasan Mahmud said the Myanmar authorities suggested taking the members of the security forces back via waterways. "The discussion is still ongoing."
Foreign ministry sources said the government feels it would be better to return the security forces members by air.
Hasan Mahmud rejected BNP's accusation that the country's lenient foreign policy was to blame for the Myanmar conflict spilling over into Bangladesh territory.
"Bangladesh is not responsible for Myanmar's internal conflicts… ."
INDIA TO BUILD FENCE
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah yesterday said that India has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1,643km India-Myanmar border and build a patrol trail along it to facilitate stronger surveillance.
"Of the total border length, a 10km stretch in Manipur's Moreh has already been fenced … ." he wrote in a post on X.
"The Modi government is committed to building impenetrable borders."
Myanmar shares borders with north eastern Indian states of Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.