border tension
Five Rohingyas enter Bangladesh from Myanmar, including a woman with bullet injuries
Amid the ongoing conflicts along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, five Rohingya people including a woman with bullet injuries, entered Bangladesh through Shah Porir Dwip jetty in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar.
The intruders came here from Myanmar crossing the Naf River and arrived at Shah Porir Dwip Jetty Ghat in Teknaf around 4 pm, said Abdus Salam, UP member of ward number 9 of Teknaf Sabarang Union.
330 officials handed over to Myanmar
Later, "We informed BGB members and they reached the spot," he added.
However, no statement was received from Teknaf Border Guard BGB in this regard.
Unidentified man’s body found along Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Cox’s Bazar
7 months ago
Bangladeshi injured in BSF shooting along Chapainawabganj border
A Bangladeshi fisherman was injured in firing by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the Polladanga border region in Chapainawabganj's Bholahat upazila.
The injured is Jahangir Alam, 24, a resident of Kolonipara village of Gohalbari union.
According to locals, Jahangir was fishing on a boat in the Mahananda River along the Polladanga border region at around 4:30 am on Saturday (February 17, 2024). At that time, BSF fired at him, and his right hand was shot.
BSF detains 23 Bangladeshis along Chhagalnaiya border in Feni
The locals then rescued him and rushed him to the Upazila health complex.
Dr Delwar Hossain, duty medical officer of Bholahat Upazila Health Complex, said Jahangir was brought to the hospital with a bullet injury to his right elbow. Later, he was referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for better treatment.
BSF regrets recent border killing, says Foreign Ministry
Lt Col Golam Kibria, commanding officer of the BGB-59 battalion in Chapainawabganj, said members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) opened fire on Jahangir when he went near the Indian territory while he was fishing.
He also said the BGB has sent a protest letter to the BSF in this regard.
Body of Bangladeshi killed by BSF returned through Lalmonirhat border
7 months ago
Myanmar delegation arrives in Bangladesh to take back security forces
A delegation from Myanmar, led by Ambassador Aung Kyaw Moe, arrived at the Naval jetty ghat in Inani, Cox’s Bazar district, on Thursday (February 15, 2024), aboard a speedboat at 9:50 am, to repatriate 330 members of the Myanmar security forces and others who had sought refuge in Bangladesh.
The group had crossed into Bangladesh, fleeing clashes between the Myanmar military and armed rebel groups.
Read: 330 BGP members, others to be handed over to Myanmar authorities Thursday: BGB
The repatriation, supervised by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), involves individuals including members of the Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP). The process was earlier confirmed by BGB's public relations officer, Shariful Islam, who also noted that the transfer involved six buses transporting the individuals from Nhila and Ghumdum points to Inani earlier that day.
Home Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, had previously indicated that the repatriation of these individuals was imminent, amidst ongoing border tensions and skirmishes in the Bandarban's Naikhongchhari area. In light of the conflict, the BGB and Coast Guard have ramped up surveillance efforts to prevent further crossings.
This border tension has led to casualties on the Bangladeshi side, including the deaths of a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man due to mortar shell impacts from Myanmar. An unidentified body was also found on February 8 in the Rahmaterbil border area of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, as reported by Md Shamim Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Ukhiya Police Station.
Read: DMP forms 'quick response team' to ease movements of SSC examinees
Additionally, on February 9, BGB personnel detained 23 Rohingyas with 12 firearms and 868 rounds of ammunition as they attempted to cross into Bangladesh. A case was subsequently filed under the Arms Act at Ukhiya police station, with a court ordering a 3-day remand for each individual involved.
7 months ago
Residents of remote border village feel helpless in crossfire of geopolitics
Shafiul Alam, a resident of Ghumdhum’s Jalpaitoli, a once quiet village in the border district of Bandarban, is now counting his days wracked by a complex cocktail of human emotions. His life took an unexpected turn on February 5, as his mother lost her life when a stray mortar shell fired from Myanmar landed in their under-construction house, which also left his two children with shrapnel wounds on their feet, and took the life of a Rohingya construction worker.
He is not even in a situation to grieve properly as he has to think about how to treat his children with little to no help. The children only survived as they were inside their home at the time, while their grandmother was serving lunch to the construction worker.
2 SSC exam centres along BD-Myanmar border relocated
Bandarban's Deputy Commissioner Shah Mojahid Uddin and Superintendent of Police Saikat Shahin later paid a visit to the family. A mere donation of Tk 20,000 was offered as immediate assistance, but the bereaved family expressed dissatisfaction with the government's support process.
Their plea is clear: they seek international intervention to ensure justice and an end to their current situation of fearing for their lives every moment of the day.
Shafiul is not alone, the repercussions of Myanmar's civil war extend beyond Shafiul's family. Thousands of bordering residents of the country are now passing each day fearing for their lives.
Don’t want to share specific date but Myanmar security forces to go back soon: Hasan Mahmud
In Tumbru and surrounding areas, at least 12 people have been shot and injured, their suffering further exacerbated by the lack of medical treatment and government support.
The victims are now only pleading for assistance, to save their lives which reveals a bitter reality of the toll that geopolitical strife takes on ordinary lives.
Unidentified man’s body found along Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Cox’s Bazar
7 months ago
What Foreign Minister said on Myanmar’s BGP men taking shelter in Bangladesh
Myanmar has reached out to Bangladesh to take back members of Border Guard Police (BGP) who entered Bangladesh territory to save themselves amid conflicts there with the Arakan Army.
"We are in constant communication. They want to take back their BGP members. The Myanmar government is communicating with Bangladesh as they (BGP members) want to go back. There is communication from both ends," Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.
Thirty-seven more members of Myanmar’s border police have taken shelter in Bangladesh border amid a conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
With this, the total number of BGP personnel who took shelter in Bangladesh stood at 95 till this morning (February 5, 2024), said Shariful Islam, public relations officer at Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Headquarters.
Number of Myanmar border guards who fled to Bangladesh stands at 103: BGB
The Foreign Minister said Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh and Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister have communicated in this regard and Myanmar conveyed that they would take back the BGP members.
“How they will be taken back – by air or by road – is now being discussed. You know that the members of Myanmar security forces also entered Indian territory earlier, but they were sent back by air. We will also send them back,” Hasan said.
Responding to a question, the foreign minister said that the border is secure.
‘WE WELCOME BIDEN’S LETTER’
The foreign minister also said that Bangladesh has welcomed the letter written by US President Joe Biden and thinks that any question that was there has been cleared by this letter.
“We welcome the letter written by President Biden. We already have very good relations with the US. Through this letter, our partnership will further advance,” Hasan told reporters.
There is no more “discomfort” in the Bangladesh-US relations, Hasan said.
US President Joe Biden has written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing his willingness to work together to achieve Bangladesh’s economic goal.
He also expressed willingness to partner with Bangladesh on their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
"The United States is committed to supporting Bangladesh's ambitious economic goals and partnering with Bangladesh on our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," President Biden said in his letter.
As the two countries embark on the next chapter of the US-Bangladesh partnership, the US President said he wants to convey the sincere desire of his administration to continue their work together on regional and global security, economic development, climate change and energy, global health, humanitarian support, especially for Rohingya refugees, and more.
"We have a long and successful history of working together to solve problems, and our strong people-to-people ties are the foundation of this relationship," the US President wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
TALKS WITH THAI, LIBYAN AMBASSADORS
During the maiden courtesy meeting with Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thai Ambassador to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor congratulated the Bangladesh Foreign Minister on behalf of the Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara.
Reflecting on the excellent Bangladesh-Thai relations, they discussed issues to deepen ties, such as possible high level visits, trade and investment, possible free trade agreement (FTA) and existing tax regime, port connectivity, enhanced frequency of flights and energy cooperation.
Ambassador of Libya to Bangladesh Abdulmutalib S Suliman also met Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud.
The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh will stand beside Libya in its rebuilding efforts.
They discussed working facilities for doctors, nurses, engineers and other skilled workforces.
Read more: 37 more Nasaka personnel take shelter in Bangladesh; total number now 95
8 months ago
2 killed in 'shelling' in Bandarban's Ghumdhum
Two people, including a woman, were killed in reported shelling on a house at Jolpaitoli under Ghumdum union of Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban district on Monday (February 05, 2024).
One of the deceased was identified as Hosne Ara, 50, wife of Badsha Mia while the identity of the other could not be known immediately.
Myanmar violence spillovers: 7 Educational Institutions shut in Bandarban
Shafiqul Islam, Jolpaitoli Ward 1 member, said the explosion occurred around 2:30 pm inside Bangladesh and two people were found dead after the explosion.
ASP (Lama circle, Bandarban district) Md Nurul Anwar said he heard about the deaths of two people but they are yet to identify them.
37 more Nasaka personnel take shelter in Bangladesh; total number now 95
8 months ago
Bangladesh wants discussion to avert border tension with Myanmar: Foreign Secretary
Bangladesh wants to avert tension along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border through "dialogue and discussions", using the existing mechanism between the two border forces amid Myanmar's internal conflicts.
Talking to a small group of journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said they will have discussions through existing mechanism between Border Guard Bangladesh and its Myanmar counterpart to resolve any issue quickly if there is any provocation.
"Basically, it's an action against their insurgents inside Myanmar. Maybe unintentionally a number of incidents took place. They acknowledged the matter," he said on Sunday evening.
Read: Warned Myanmar against firing shots towards Bangladesh, says Home Minister
The Foreign Secretary said the BGB remains vigilant though firing happened almost 10 kilometers away from the Bangladesh border.
"But sounds are being heard here, on the Bangladesh side. For this reason, locals might become restless. Our surveillance is there. We are observing the situation," said the Foreign Secretary.
He said efforts are there so that no tension prevails along the border. "We remain highly alert. BGB will not allow anyone inside Bangladesh."
Earlier, Bangladesh reiterated deep concerns over mortar shells landing inside Bangladesh territory, indiscriminate aerial firing from Myanmar in the bordering areas, and air space violations.
On September 3, 2022 two mortar shells fell inside Bangladesh between BP 40 and 41.
The Myanmar Ambassador in Bangladesh Aung Kyaw Moe was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet the Director General of Myanmar Wing.
Read: Myanmar envoy summoned: Dhaka shares “deep concerns” with Naypyidaw over border violation
During the meeting, the Ambassador was also told that such activities are of grave threat to the safety and security of the peace-loving people, violation of border agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar and contrary to the good neighborly relationship.
The Ambassador was also urged to ensure that no trespassing of the internally displaced Myanmar Residents takes place from Rakhine.
It was also stressed that a safe, secure and conducive environment in the place of their origin in Rakhine is essential for sustainable and voluntary repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas from Bangladesh.
The Myanmar Ambassador was also asked to come to the Ministry on 21 August and 28 August 2022 and protest notes were handed over to him conveying Bangladesh’s grave concerns.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon also raised the issue with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar with much importance.
2 years ago