Photo: Messenger
Once again, sounds of intense gunfire and mortar shells across the Myanmar border cause panic among the villagers living on the zero line of the border.
The tension along the border region between Bandarban and Cox's Bazar grew after a brief lull in the fierce conflict between Myanmar military forces Tatmadaw and the rebel Arakan Army in Rakhine State.
A fear of the unknown causes hesitation among those who are trickling back to their abandoned villages. They fled their homestead and farmland from the zero-line when mortar shells and volleys of gunfire came from across the border.
Locals reported hearing heavy shelling and gunfire from across the Myanmar border around 11 a.m. on Friday.
Residents told The Daily Messenger’s correspondent based in Ukhiya that they cannot say what is happening across the border. But said, the civil war between the government troops and rebels seems very intense.
Anwarul Islam, a member of the Tumbru Union Council in Bandarban’s Naikhongchhari, highlighted a drop in the intensity of the fighting since last Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com.
Mohammad Shahjahan, a villager in Tumbru, said that from Thursday night until Friday evening, the gunfire and shelling were relatively less. Panic-stricken people who fled the villages and those evacuated to safe places have started to return home.
"The gunfire isn't as intense as it was on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. However, we still occasionally hear sudden gunshots or heavy shelling," Islam said on Friday.
But Anwarul believes it is far away from the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. The border guards make loud noises, blasting mortar shells, to boost the morale of the troops.
There is a concern among residents of Tumbru that Myanmar's junta forces might attempt to recapture two outposts, known as 'Left Camp' and 'Right Camp', along the border.
Additionally, some residents near the Teknaf border reported hearing gunfire on Thursday night. People living in the Whykang and Nhila areas, however, remained in their homes, cautiously monitoring the situation.
Indiscriminate gunfire and mortar shells landed in Bangladesh territory last week. The shells struck several homes and killed two people, including an elderly woman.
Cox’s Bazar Regional Commander of BGB, Lt. Col. Aziz, said the shelling and gunfire fell inside after the two warring groups in Myanmar engaged in armed conflict.
In another development, Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB) have filed cases against 23 armed Rohingya militants. They were detained when they illegally entered the Palongkhali border post at Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar.
The detained Rohingya militants will be transferred to a prison in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday. Presently, they are confined to the Ukhiya police station, said the officer-in-charge, Shamim Hossain.
The 23 armed Rohingya militants were captured by the villagers when they infiltrated through the Putobunia border checkpoint. The locals recovered 2 SMGs, 2 mortar shells, 8 magazines, and 255 rounds of ammunition. Later, they were handed over to law enforcement.
Earlier, a team of 20-25 members of BGB on Friday afternoon deactivated the live mortar shell found by Rohingya children.
Messenger/Disha
