Bangladesh summons Myanmar ambassador over border fire

The foreign ministry has summoned Myanmar Ambassador Lwin Oo to protest “unprovoked” firing on the Bangladesh border.

Md Delwar Hossain, director general of the foreign ministry’s Southeast Asia wing, demanded an explanation of the Nov 4 firing by Myanmar border guards when the ambassador met him at around 3.30pm on Wednesday, a source in the ministry said.

One Rohingya boy was among those injured in the daytime gunfire. Myanmar forces fired ‘41 shots in three phases’, creating tensions on the border.

It came at a time when the two countries are set to start the first phase of Rohingya repatriation on Nov 15. The firing is seen as a deliberate attempt to derail the process.

Myanmar, which is under intense pressure for the Rohingya issue, had violated Bangladesh airspace several times after the beginning of the crisis in August last year. Dhaka responded to the border fires by summoning the ambassador and issuing statements.

Bangladesh expressed “concern” over the latest incident as well and asked the ambassador to explain the issue. “Otherwise it will be deemed as a deliberate attempt,” a senior official told bdnews24.com on the condition of anonymity.

Another official said the Rohingya boy who took a bullet in the chest is in critical condition at Cox’s Bazar hospital.