Child hit by bullet coming from Rakhine put on life support

A nine-year-old girl from Teknaf, injured by gunfire originating from across the Myanmar border, has been placed on life support at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Chattogram Medical College Hospital, with doctors describing her condition as critical.

The injured child, identified as Huzaifa Afnan, 9, is the daughter of Jasim Uddin from the Hwaikyang area of Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar.

She was wounded by a bullet fired from across the Myanmar border amid ongoing tripartite clashes in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

Prof Harun Or Rashid, head of the Department of Anesthesia and ICU at CMCH, said on Sunday evening that the child’s condition remains extremely serious.

“The child is in critical condition and is being kept on life support in the ICU. The bullet entered through one side of her face and penetrated her brain,” he said.

According to Sub-Inspector Nurul Alam, in-charge of the CMCH police outpost, the child was taken directly to the ICU upon arrival at the hospital.

The incident occurred around 9:00am on Sunday, when Huzaifa, a third-grade student, was hit by a bullet fired from across the Myanmar border.

Cox’s Bazar Additional Superintendent of Police Alok Biswas said at around 2:30pm that the child had been injured by gunfire.

“There were reports that the child had died, but that information is incorrect. She was shot and has been taken to CMCH for treatment,” he said.

Earlier, rumours spread that the child had died after being hit by the bullet. Hwaikyang police outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector Khokon Chandra Rudra had also initially conveyed similar information to Prothom Alo. Following the spread of the news, local residents became angry and briefly blocked roads in protest.