Bangladesh summons Myanmar ambassador, lodges protest over child injured by gunfire

Bangladesh on Tuesday summoned Myanmar’s ambassador to Dhaka, Kyaw Soe Moe, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and expressed deep concern over the injury of a Bangladeshi national caused by cross-border gunfire from Myanmar territory.

A nine year old child, Huzaifa Afnan of Teknaf, was seriously injured after being struck by a bullet fired from across the Myanmar border.

The incident prompted Bangladesh to formally lodge a protest by summoning the Myanmar ambassador.

In a press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, during the meeting, the Myanmar ambassador was reminded that unprovoked firing into Bangladesh constitutes a clear violation of international law and poses a serious obstacle to the maintenance of good neighbourly relations.

Bangladesh urged Myanmar to assume full responsibility and take all necessary measures to prevent any recurrence of such cross-border incidents in the future.

Bangladesh also stressed that developments involving Myanmar authorities and armed groups within Myanmar must not, under any circumstances, be allowed to affect the lives and livelihoods of the people of Bangladesh.

Myanmar’s ambassador Kyaw Soe Moe assured that his government would take steps to prevent the repetition of such incidents and expressed sincere sympathy to the injured child and his family.

On Sunday at around 9:00 am, Huzaifa was injured by gunfire originating from Myanmar’s Rakhine State near the Bangladesh border, in the Techi Bridge border area of WhyKong union in Teknaf.

He is currently undergoing treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital, where his condition remains critical.

Meanwhile, on Monday morning, a landmine explosion near the WhyKong border in Teknaf resulted in a 28 year old man, Md Hanif, losing his left leg.