Over the last two months a battle has been going on between the security forces of Myanmar and armed Arakan Army at the other side of Bangladesh’s Tumbru frontier at the Ghumdhum of Naikhongchhari.
At least four times mortar shells and bullets have hit Bangladesh land from Myanmar.
On last Friday an adolescent MD Iqbal, who was living in the Rohingya camp near the zero line, died by a mortar shell. At least 12 thousand inhabitants of the Ghumdhum union have been living with anxiety. One of them, Monowara Begum, 23, described the current situation.
“Fire has been prevalent over the last two months. A mortar shell hit near my house and a Rohingya died. We cannot sleep with the sound of fire, our houses tremble with huge sound. We cannot even imagine where we may take shelter if the war begins. We are having a house arrest situation,” said Monowara on Sunday.
Monowara has been working as cleaner of the LGED roads for two years. She said the movement of the people in the area has been restricted over the last 10-15 days. Not much vehicle is seen. BGB is patrolling the roads. Even if people get out of their homes for emergency they return as soon as possible.
Monowara’s husband died three years ago. She has been living with her old mother and two sons Md Arif and Md Rifat. He gets Tk 175 daily as wage. It is difficult to keep the livelihood with such low income. Business in the locality has been facing depression over the last two months as almost all the shops are closed and not much jobs. The working class people are going through dire straits and no relief aid is given to them so far.
When asked when the firing commences, Monowara said there is no such timetable. Sometimes it occurs in the morning and in some other times at night. The fire opened from the mountain of the other side (Rakhine state) can be seen from the road.
At night the sky becomes red with the ray of fire. The houses tremble. She does not know what will happen if things become worse. She only wants now that the firing stops so that they may quickly return to their normal life.