Bullets from other side of border hit houses in Teknaf

Bullets fired from Myanmar have created panic among the people living along the bordering areas of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar amid the intense conflict on the other side of the border.

Intense firings and explosions of mortar shells have taken place in the border area of Mongdu of Rakhine state since early Saturday.

At least 188 mortar shells exploded in the last 28 hours till 8:00am on Sunday.

Added to this were bullets fired from Myanmar hitting houses in several bordering villages, leaving the people in a state of fear. However, no causality was reported.

The Mongdu township is opposite Teknaf’s Sadar and Subrang unions, and Naf river, which is four kilometres wide, separates Bangladesh from Myanmar. Fight has been on between the pro-independence armed group Arakan Army (AA) and the junta forces over the last five months.

According to Sadar union parishad chairman Ziaur Rahman and Subrang union parishad chairman Nur Hossain, mortar shells and grenades exploded all of a sudden around 4:00am on Saturday after a break of five days. Sound of explosions was heard from 10-12 bordering villages intermittently until 8:00am on Sunday with bullets fired from rifles in Myanmar landing in this side of the border, causing a rise in panic among people.

Four bullets from Myanmar fell in Shah Parir Diwip of Subrang union on 21 July. Two of those bullets landed in front of the shop owned by certain Hossain Ali in the Jetty Ghat area, once in the houseyard of certain Mohamamd Idris in Bazarpara area and the remaining one fell on the pillar of the homestead of Mohammad Ayas in Bazarpara.

Mohamamd Idris and Mohammad Ayas said two bullets fell between 8:00am and 8:30am, and had anyone been on the spot, they might have been hurt. People are afraid of coming out of their homes fearing more bullets.

Amir Hossain, 55, is a fisherman from Jaliapara of Shah Parir Diwip. He said at least 500 fishermen from this area cannot fish in Naf river. There is no alternative income source either. Meanwhile, the fight is intensifying in Rakhine. People from the fishing village are worried about what they will do if the situation does not improve. According to these chairmen, bullets mostly fell on the Bangladesh side of Naf river, nearby shrimp enclosures and mangrove forests.

Four bullets also fell in Mistrypara area of Shah Parir Diwip on Saturday. On information, members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) came to the spot and recovered the bullet shells.

Saying that people cannot move freely, Subrang union parishad member Abdus Salam added, “We live near in the bordering area and we are passing time in a constant state of fear. Everything can be seen from this side of the border. Till today, people were frightened of the sound of explosions, and bullets from other sider have become a new fear now.”

Prothom Alo could not reach BGB Teknaf-2 battalion commander and Coast Guard’s Teknaf station commander for comment after several attempts. Officials of both agencies have been reluctant to talk to media about the border situation since the beginning.

However, Teknaf upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Adnan Chowdhury confirmed the bullets crossing over the border. He said he learned that bullets fired from Myanmar fell in several places of Shah Parir Diwip. Explosions also took place in Rakhine state. Each village along the Teknaf border has been brought under special monitoring. Besides, people are being alerted about safety, he added.