Diplomatic Correspondent :
The recurrent bombardments by Myanmar fighter planes along the Bangladesh-Myanmar territory for the last one week is creating further tensions of Rohingya infiltration into Bangladesh.
Myanmar is repeatedly violating the international sovereignty law as its mortar shells and bullets are landing on the Bangladesh territory.
Though the government of Bangladesh is repeatedly serving ‘note of verbal’ not to repeat such action, the Myanmar government seems ‘uncaring’ to pay heed to the call of Bangladesh.
Experts said that Myanmar bombardment violating the Bangladesh border should not be taken lightly rather Bangladesh should immediately take this seriously and raise the issue in the international forum including UN and other regional forums to create pressure on Myanmar junta government.
They said that such firing along the borders may intimidate the Rohingyas who are inside the Rakhine State and along the ‘no man’s land to infiltrate inside Bangladesh for safety.
Reports said that due to continuous firings of mortar shells and bullets along the Ghumdhum border of Bangladesh and the fringes Rakhine state of Myanmar, thousands of Bangladeshi nationals and over four thousand Rohingya sheltered along the no man’s land are in fear. Even some of the Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh in fear of continuous firing along the border, report said. The Bangladeshi nationals residing near the border in Naikhongchari Upazila of Bandarban district are in utter fear and they cannot sleep properly due to violent firing on the other side of the border.
Farmers cannot go to their farmlands for cultivation while students are going to school with high risk as the mortar shells and bullets are landing inside Bangladesh frequently in the few weeks.
The Myanmar fighter planes and choppers are seen flying along the Myanmar border and firing mortar shells and bullets on the fringes of the border to contain the rebel activities in their territory, but tension is prevailing inside Bangladesh.
On 9 September, a bullet landed on the homestead of a local farmer at Ghumdhum’s Tumbru Bazar of Naikhongchari Upazila and near the Bazar there are Rohingyas living on the ‘no man’s land. The incident created much fear among the locals and Rohingyas.
Earlier on August 28, two unexploded mortar shells were found near Ghumdhum’s Tumbru border in Bandarban’s Naikkhyangchhari area.
Just after seven days, Myanmar again violated the international border rules of sovereignty by firing shells and gunshots from fighter planes inside Bangladesh territory in Bandarban.
In the last two incidents, Bangladesh protested the incident and summoned the envoys of Myanmar in Dhaka to hand over protest notes of verbal.
Bangladesh repeatedly told Myanmar not to repeat such incidents again but Myanmar side did not keep its promises.
Meanwhile, on Saturday Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the government had asked Myanmar to refrain from firing towards Bangladesh territory.
He said that such firing inside Bangladesh territory is a crime and a clear violation of international law.
Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor of International Relations and Director of Centre for Genocide Studies, University of Dhaka told The New Nation on Sunday that Bangladesh should immediately raise the issues in the international forum.
“Such firing inside Bangladesh is a violation of international law. Bangladesh should raise the issue in the UN Security Council and regional forums to create pressure on Myanmar,” he added.
He said such firing will intimidate the Rohingyas inside Rakhaine State to look for safe place inside Bangladesh as the country is already overburdened with Rohingya population.
When Bangladesh is struggling to commence the repatriation process of around 12 lakh Rohingyas to their homeland Rakhine State, Myanmar junta government is not showing its proactive role to settle the issue.
Now the repeated firing in the border areas is escalating and a tense situation is prevailing among the locals.
Rather Myanmar is violating the international rules of sovereignty through the violation of airspace and firing shells inside Bangladesh territory.
