Myanmar border: Two mortar shells land in Bandarban

Two mortar shells from Myanmar landed on Tumbru border of Ghumdhum union in Bandarban's Naikhyongchari yesterday afternoon.

Police said the incident, which created panic among locals, occurred near border pillars numbers 34 and 35 around 2:30pm, adding that the shells did not explode.

Tariqul Islam, superintendent of police in Bandarban, told The Daily Star the two mortar shells from Myanmar were fired half a kilometre from the Zero Line (No Man's Land zones) in Bangladesh.

One landed next to the North Jam-e-Masjid in ward-2. The other landed around 200 meters from the mosque, he said.

He added the two mortar shells were most likely "not targeted towards us".

"It landed on our border possibly due to firing by an insurgent group with Myanmar's Border Guard Force. No one was injured in the incident."

He said the Bangladesh Border Guard forces are, however, on high alert as precaution.

Jahangir Aziz, chairman of Ghumdhum union, said heavy gunfire was being heard from the other side of the Bangladesh-Myanmar border for the past two weeks, adding that the landing of the mortar shells made everyone in the area panic.

BGB officials in Cox's Bazar could not be reached for comments on the matter.

Asked, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told reporters at the foreign ministry that the government would inquire into the matter if the mortar shells landed there accidentally or on purpose.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, said, "We usually protest such incidents. We received similar reports a few days ago. We will again strongly protest it with them [Myanmar]."