Three mortar shells hit Naikhongchhari border

Locals said they gave the mortar shells to BGB members after they struck

Mortar shells have hit the Ghumdhum border in Bandarban’s Naikhongchhari Upazila amid conflict between the Arakan Army insurgents and the armed forces of Myanmar.

Three mortar shells reportedly fell in the Tentiyarchhara area of Ward No. 1 on Tuesday night, said AKM Jahangir Aziz, the chairman of the Ghumdhum union council.

Police and Border Guard Bangladesh did not make any comments over the incident.

Emdadul Islam, a security analyst and retired army major, noted after examining an image of the shells, "The visible broken parts are from mortar shells. In a battlefield, these are utilised to target the enemy's precise locations at varying elevations."

Fighting in Rakhine is affecting nearby communities. On Saturday, a bullet hit the home of local resident Nurul Islam in Ward No. 1 of Whykong Union in Cox's Bazar’s Teknaf.

On Monday, five government schools were closed in Ghumdhum Union because of frequent shelling and the sound of gunfire from the border. However, classes resumed on Tuesday.

The deputy commissioner and superintendent of police visited the Ghumdhum area on Wednesday.

Locals said they handed over the mortar shells to BGB personnel.

Lt Col Saiful Islam Chowdhury, commander of Teknaf-34 BGB battalion, and Bandarban Police Superintendent Shaikat Shaheen did not respond to several attempts to contact them.

In August and September 2022, shelling from Myanmar prompted evacuations along the Bangladesh border.

Dhaka protested and expressed its concern by summoning Myanmar's ambassador.

The BGB and police are on ‘high alert’ near the borders.

Intelligence monitoring has also increased in the area following the clashes.