Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has strongly protested Myanmar’s artillery firing, and shells landing inside the Bangladesh border, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has said.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also summoned Myanmar envoy to Bangladesh over the matter. I hope the firing will stop soon,” the minister told reporters at the inauguration of the Police Liberation War Memorial Museum at Rajshahi police lines on Tuesday.
“Myanmar has been facing troubles with Arakan Army (AA) for a long time. I have heard they are in a conflict with the government, and shells from their weapons land inside Bangladesh border,” he added.
Some 1.2 million Rohingya refugees are currently living in Bangladesh, the minister noted. Later, the home minister also spoke about the recent attack on ATN TV journalists in Rajshahi. “Whoever was involved in the attack on the journalists will be punished,” he said.
On Sunday, Asaduzzaman Khan said Myanmar was warned against firing near the Bangladesh border, so no more shells land inside the country. On September 8, firing, artillery and mortar shelling continued on the Myanmar side of the Ghundhum border in Bandarban’s Naikhongchhari for the third consecutive day.
Panic spread anew in the area when heavy firing resumed along the border around 8am, local people said.
So far, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Myanmar envoy to Bangladesh thrice over the issue.
Dhaka lodged strong protests and expressed deep concern at air and artillery strikes landing inside Bangladeshi territory and violations of the country’s air space. The Myanmar side claimed that its military launched airstrikes after the ethnic Rakhine armed organization the Arakan Army (AA) seized a police outpost on the border in Maungdaw Township in northern Rakhine State.
On August 28, the Myanmar border security force, Border Guard Police (BGP), hurled mortar shells at Tumbru no-man’s land area.
Two unexploded mortar shells were later recovered from the spot. The Myanmar ambassador to Bangladesh, U Aung Kyaw Moe, was summoned for the third time to the Foreign Ministry on September 4.
On September 3, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said the government was following the situation in Myanmar.
