Landmine explosion severs youth’s left leg at Teknaf border

A youth lost his left leg in a landmine explosion at the Whykong border in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar on Monday.

The incident occurred at around 10:00 am.

The victim was Md Hanif (28), son of Fazal Karim from Lambahil village, Ward No. 3, Whykong Union of the upazila.

Locals said Hanif was injured when he was going to a privately-owned shrimp enclosure near the Naf River in the Whykong border area. He was rescued and admitted to MSF Hospital in Kutupalong, Ukhiya.

The incident sparked panic among residents of the border villages, and fishing in the Naf River remains halted.

Several sources from the border said that the Arakan Army (AA), a Myanmar armed group, has planted banned landmines around several newly emerged islands in the middle of the Naf River and in the no-man’s-land along the border to prevent attacks by Rohingya insurgent groups. Previously, several Bangladeshi fishermen have also been injured by landmine explosions.

Police said that Hanif would work at the privately-owned shrimp enclosure near the Whykong border. At around 10:00 a.m., he went to check whether the boats at the farm were properly arranged. At that time, a planted landmine exploded, severing his left leg. Hearing the explosion and Hanif’s screams, villagers rushed to the site and rescued him.

Whykong police outpost in-charge sub-inspector Khokon Kanti Rudra confirmed the incident.

He said that while working at the fish farm near the Naf River, Hanif’s left leg was severed in a landmine explosion. In recent days, several armed clashes and shootings have occurred among different groups in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. People are being warned not to go near the risky areas of the Naf River and border.

Whykong union acting chairman Shah Jalal said that there fighting and shelling have been continuing at the Arakan Army positions in Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar for the past four days. From Saturday evening until Sunday 10:00 am, loud explosions were heard from across the border. Some bullets, drone parts, and mortar shells fired from the other side landed on houses, shrimp enclosures, and fields in the Whykong border area. A child was also shot and is in critical condition.

Shah Jalal added no gunfire was heard across the border from around 10:30 am on Sunday until 2:00 pm Monday. However, situation remains tense, and clashes could resume at any time. Fear of cross-border fire has left the Whykong residents anxious, with many spending sleepless nights. Bangladeshis are being prohibited from entering unsafe and hazardous border areas.

Law enforcement agencies, including the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Coast Guard, remain alert in the border and Naf River areas.

Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed, Commander of the BGB’s Cox’s Bazar sector, said, “We are monitoring the situation across the border. Strict security and patrols are being maintained along the Naf River and border areas.”