Mortar shell, probably unexploded, found by kids at Ghumdhum border

Some young children found a mortar shell along the border at Ghumdhum of Naikhangchhari in Bandarban. It is suspected that the mortar is probably unexploded. The shell was found at around 12 in the afternoon today, Thursday, at the Nayapara Bil in Ghumdhum union.

The mortar shell was found just around 100 metres from the Myanmar border. Sources say this is probably an RL shell of the Myanmar army.

Ghumdhum union parishad (UP) member Anwarul Islam said the children found the mortar shell this (Thursday) afternoon while gathering firewood. They put it in their sack and brought it to their homestead. The people seeing the mortar shell assumed that it was unexploded. Later BGB members came and took it into their custody. To avoid any risks, the mortar shell has been kept in the marsh away from any settlement.

At around 2:30 Thursday afternoon, a visit to the spot revealed that the Border Guard Bangladesh had a sentry post at the end of the Nayapara village road, west of the Asian Highway. The mortar shell has been kept in a part of the marsh there, cordoned off with red flags. Four BGB members there have ordered media persons and local people not to go anywhere near the mortar shell nor take any pictures.

A BGB member Shafayet Hossain said, the army's bomb disposal unit has been informed about the matter. They will come and examine either the mortar shell is live or inert.

Mohammad Ridwan (24), and Syed Akbar (40), residents of Nayapara, told Prothom Alo, no mortar shells have been landing in Bangladesh territory from the other side of the border since yesterday, Wednesday. Today the situation was peaceful too. That is why it is being assumed that the mortar shell had landed in the marsh on Tuesday night. There had been heavy firing and shelling that night. The people had been unable to go to the marsh because of the firing.