Staff Reporter :
In the face of continuous shelling and fire of bullets into Bangladesh territory from across the Myanmar borders in Gumdhum union under Naikhongchhari in Bandarban, local authorities are considering the evacuation of 300 families from the area..
According to sources, preparations are underway to evacuate 70 to 80 families from Ward No. 1 and 2 of Palangkhali union parishad to a safe place near Ghumdhum border.
“We will look into possible security threats along the border to make sure our people are safe,” Bandarban Deputy Commissioner (DC) Yasmin Parveen Tibriji said while visiting Gumdhum union along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban on Monday.
The DC added: “Throughout the process, we will make sure the residents are not scared and offer them mental support.”
Later, while talking about the recent violations along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, the Bandarban DC said: “We are looking at the overall issue. It’s not like everything will be solved if we talk about it. It is an ongoing issue.”
Meanwhile, District Superintendent of Police Tariqul Islam said the department is mainly concerned with border safety.
He added: “The overall security in the border area has been strengthened, and monitoring has been increased.”
Earlier, the local authorities relocated an SSC centre considering the security of students and local residents.
Jamal Hossain, a farmer of Paschimkul village, said firing along the border started early morning and it continued from 3.00am to 5.00am.
He further said, “About 16 mortar shells were fired till 10:30 am. It seems hard to stay inside amid the sounds of firing.”
Ghumdhum UP Chairman AK Jahangir Aziz said hundreds of people in the area are not able to live a normal life due to the shelling of Myanmar that has been going on for two months.
“Cultivation in border areas is almost suspended due to the firing. Preparations are underway to evacuate at least 300 families from the border area to safe places.”
On September 16, at least one person died and six others, including a Rohingya child, were critically injured in shooting and mortar shelling from across the Myanmar border in Gumdhum of Bandarban.
The mortar shells landed in no man’s land, injuring three Rohingya people, in the evening. One of them, Md Iqbal, 17, later succumbed to his injuries, Deputy Commissioner Yasmin Parvin Tibrizi said.
Locals said that bullets landed in a thicket beside the house of one Shah Alam in Konarpara, creating panic.
Earlier in the day, a 22-year-old Bangladeshi youth named Athwaing Tangchangya lost his legs in a landmine explosion along the Headmanpara border area at Tumbru under Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban.
Tangchangya’s mother, Yang Me Chakma, said the mine went off when he crossed the border to bring his cattle back from Myanmar.
On September 3, Myanmar helicopters intruded to within 300 to 400 yards of Bangladeshi airspace at Naikhongchhari point several times. Shells and gunshots were fired from warplanes and helicopters, local people reported.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already summoned the Myanmar envoy to Dhaka four times over the border violations.
