Blasts in Myanmar rattle Teknaf border again

Residents of Teknaf, living along Bangladesh's eastern and southern borders with Myanmar, are engulfed in fear as intermittent explosions were heard today from the other side of the territory.

Locals reported blasts starting around 8am, continuing for about two hours, and then again two loud explosions were heard around 12:45pm.

These sounds originated from east of Shapuree Dwip in Myanmar, according to the residents in that frontier.

"The areas around Maungdaw town in Rakhine state, such as Megichong, Kadirbil, Nurullahpara, Mangala, and Phadongcha, are where we're hearing gunfire and explosions from. These areas house several security posts of the Myanmar Border Guard Police," Abdus Salam, a member of Teknaf's Sabrang union, told The Business Standard.

"Until Friday evening, there were numerous sounds of gunfire around Maungdaw town, but it was quiet overnight. However, this [Saturday] morning, the ground shook with the loud noises of explosions and gunfire at regular intervals," Abdus Salam said, adding, "The situation is calm now."

Apart from Teknaf's Hnila and Sabrang, gunshots were also reportedly heard in Saint Martin's Island for the past three days. However, no gunshots were heard from there yesterday.

Rashed Mahmud Ali, chairman of Hnila union parishad, told The Business Standard that for the past few days, most of the gunshots were heard at night.

"As the clashes are shifting inward of Myanmar day by day, the intensity of gunshots or explosions heard near the Bangladesh border has decreased. But panic among the people still remains."

St Martin Union Parishad Chairman Mujibur Rahman said, "On Thursday and Friday night, the intensity of gunshots and explosions was high. Today [Saturday], however, it has decreased a bit. The people are still in a bit of a panic."

Lieutenant Colonel Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, commander of the BGB's 2nd Battalion in Teknaf, said, "We've received news of loud noises and gunfire in various areas of the Teknaf border."

He said the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is vigilant with intensified patrols and on a high state of alert to ensure security along the border.

Nabi Hossain, a resident of Jaliapara in Shapuree Dwip said, "The land on this side trembled with loud noises. We all are in fear."

"This is a problem in Myanmar. We've increased patrols by the BGB and Coast Guard in response to the conflictual situation in Myanmar," said Teknaf's Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Adnan Chowdhury.

He advised residents along the border to remain alert.

'Five Myanmar nationals intrude'

Meanwhile, five Myanmar nationals, including a bullet-ridden woman, reached Jeryghat in Shah Porir Dwip union of Teknaf by boat today at around 5:00pm, locals told TBS.

The group  claimed that they had brought the wounded woman to Bangladesh for treatment.

They further said if permission was granted by the Bangladesh authorities, the woman and her husband would stay for treatment, while the remaining three would return to Myanmar.

Teknaf Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ataur Rahman Khandokar told TBS that he also heard about the intrusion of the Myanmar nationals.

TBS tried repeatedly to talk to BGB's Public Relations Officer Shariful Islam over the phone but he did not receive the calls.

Since 3 February, the rebel forces in Myanmar have been engaging in clashes with military junta forces near the Bangladesh border.

There were continuous firing, mortar shells and rockets. Two people, a Bangladeshi and a Rohingya, were killed inside Bangladesh on 5 February by shelling from Myanmar.

So far 330 Myanmar nationals including BGP, customs, army officials took refuge in Bangladesh and were later repatriated to their country.

At least 10 people were injured and three unexploded mortar shells were found inside Bangladesh. Since then, the people of the border areas have been hearing sounds of gunshots and explosions intermittently.