Dhaka to protest against Myanmar’s shelling mortars into Bangladesh

Bangladesh will lodge strong protest with Myanmar so that nothing such happens inside Bangladesh as the country witnessed two mortal shells from Myanmar inside Bangladesh territory on Sunday afternoon.

“We usually protest amid such incidents. Few days ago we also received similar reports. We will again strongly protest it with them (Myanmar),” said Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen.

He said it will first be investigated whether the fall of unexploded mortar shells on the Bangladesh border was an accident or intentional.

An unexploded mortar shell was found near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Tumbru Uttar Para area in Naikhyangchhari of Bandarban on Sunday afternoon.

AKM Jahangir Aziz, Chairman of Ghumghum Union Parishad, said that locals came to know about the mortar shell due to a loud sound created by it.

“We’re shifting people from the area. A large number of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members have been deployed to avert any untoward situation,” Aziz said.

Wishing not to be named, a BGB member said that the mortar shell was fired by the Myanmar army.

Tariqul Islam, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bandarban district, confirmed the matter, saying that people of the area have been told to remain alert.

According to locals, a fighting has been raging between the Myanmar army and the insurgent group Arakan Army in the Rakhine state for the last two weeks. A fierce fighting between the two forces broke out on Sunday, resulting in patrolling by helicopters and fighting jets of Myanmar on the border skies.

The finding of the mortar shell is likely to be related to the fighting, said the local administration.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) stepped up its vigilance along Bangladesh-Myanmar border.