Sagar Biswas :
The bordering area was rocked again on Sunday when Myanmar’s Border Guard Police [BGP] fired gunshots for several times targeting the fleeing Rohingya Muslim refugees in different points of the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
Although tense situation raises often in Bangladesh-Myanmar border centering the Rohingya influx, this time the situation is too hot as BGP members are firing shots at them who have taken shelter in Bangladesh crossing the ‘zero line’, official sources said.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Md Ali Hossain told The New Nation over phone last night that Myanmar forces opened fire several times even on Sunday. Especially, the BGP members fired bullets at Bandarban border while Rohingya refugees throng there to enter Bangladesh territory through hilly area.
About influx of Rohingyas, the DC said, “The refugees [Rohynga ] are continuously entering Bangladesh despite strict surveillance of BGB, Coast Guard, police and other agencies. We’re trying hard to resist them, but it becomes difficult as they [refugees] are using huge bordering area to enter Bangladesh.”
“We’ve got information about entering of a big batch of refugees, around 3000-4000, on Saturday late night through Ukhia border crossing the Naf River. Earlier, 600-700 refugees entered on Friday. At present, the refugees are staying scattered as they haven’t scope to take shelter in the old Rohingya camps,” Ali Hossain said.
Officials said thousands of Rohingyas – mostly women and children – were trying to cross the Naf River fearing more violence.
Earlier on Saturday, the BGP members fired shots targeting Rohingyas at Tambru area under Dhumdhum union of Naikhangchhari upazila in Bandarban district.
Against this backdrop, BGB Cox’s Bazar Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Manjurul Hasan Khan said on Sunday that ‘precautionary measures’ have been taken following the incidents.
In the wake of BGP gunfire following fresh Rohingya influx, Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh [BGB] Major General Abul Hossain visited Naikhangchhari, a hilly bordering area of country’s southeastern Bandarban district, on Sunday.
“Bangladesh will not give shelter to any terrorist in its border. Besides, BGB is ready to give befitted reply if Myanmar army tries to interfere in our territory violating border law,” the BGB chief said.
According to media reports, Myanmar’s government has evacuated at least 4,000 non-Muslim villagers amid ongoing clashes in northwestern Rakhine state, as thousands more Rohingya Muslims sought to flee across the border on Sunday.
The death toll from the violence that erupted on Friday with coordinated attacks by Rohingya insurgents has climbed to 98, including some 80 insurgents and 12 members of the security forces; the media said quoting government sources.
Meanwhile, over 5 lakh registered and unregistered Rohingya refugees have so far taken shelter in Bangladesh since 1970 after army-backed Myanmar government launched cleansing operation against Rohingyas.
The United Nations had said over 65,000 Rohingyas entered through different points of Cox’s Bazar after the Myanmar army launched the crackdown in the Muslim dominated Rakhine state in October last year.
The Rohingya issue was raised in the last Organisation of the Islamic Conference [OIC] summit where State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam exchanged views with Foreign Minister of Malaysia Dato Sri Anifah Aman.
Bangladesh government informed the Malaysian Minister of the influx of Rakhine Muslims, residual refugees of past exodus and of 3,00,000 undocumented Myanmar nationals staying in Bangladesh.
