Amid nonstop fighting between Myanmar’s security personnel and rebel Arakan Army (AA), mortar shells and bullets continued to land in Bangladesh territory, leaving at least one Bangladeshi wounded on Tuesday.

In the awake of the escalating conflict, the authorities initiated evacuation of people living along the borders -- Tambru and Ghumdhum in Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban and different areas of Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas of Cox’s Bazar.

On the other hand, along with the Myanmar’s paramilitary Border Guard Police (BGP) personnel, members of army, police and immigration officials of the junta-run country have also entered Bangladesh, seeking refuge.

A total of 264 persons of the Myanmar security forces, army and civilians have entered Bangladesh till Tuesday afternoon, said sources familiar with the incident.

Besides, some members of different armed groups were reportedly detained by locals while intruding into Bangladesh through different points of Ukhiya on Tuesday morning. However, the information could not be verified independently.

Mortar shell, bullets land in Bangladesh territory

A youth identified as Syed Alam, 38, son of Kader Hossain, was injured with a bullet fired from Myanmar in Paharkul area under Ghumdhum union in the afternoon, said local sources.

Besides, another mortar shell struck the house of Syed Nur at Modhyampara around 9:00am on Tuesday, said officer in-charge Abdul Mannan of Naikhongchhari Police Station.

However, no casualty was reported in the incident.

Earlier on Monday, two people were killed and a child was injured in a mortar shell strike in Ghumdhum.

Locals said the sounds of massive and nonstop gunshots and mortar explosions from the Myanmar side were being heard and many bullets were hitting Bangladesh territory in different points.

On the other hand, as many as 264 Myanmar nationals, including army and BGP members and civilians, sought shelter in Bangladesh in different bordering areas.

Of them, 114 entered Bangladesh through Rahamatbeel of Ukhiya and two through Ghumdhum and Teknaf borders, said sources.

The Myanmar troops with arms and ammunition were disarmed by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel and taken to a safe place, according to the BGB headquarters. 

Four injured BGP men who took refuge earlier were sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital on Monday night for better treatment.

On the other hand, the district administration took initiative to shift people living near the frontiers to avert any further untoward incident.

Bandarban Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shah Mujahid Uddin gave directives to shift 240 families from the Naikhongchhari bordering areas.

He said the students and people living at risky spots were asked to shift to shelter centres.

Instructions were also given to keep the educational institutions at the frontiers shut until normalcy returns, he said.

The DC also visited the spot where the Bangladeshi woman was killed in Monday’s mortal shell strike and gave the deceased’s family Tk20,000.

Cox’s Bazar DC Muhammad Shahin Imran also told media that Upazila Nirbahi Officers of Ukhiya and Teknaf were instructed to evacuate people from the risky areas. 

On the other hand, the government has kept the BGB members on high alert to prevent any infiltration into Bangladesh during the conflict.

Additional BGB men were deployed in the border areas to closely monitor the situation, said the sources.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui said the border situation is still under their control.

“The BGB will not allow any Rohingya into the Bangladesh territory,” he said while talking to reporters after paying homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara in Gopalganj on Tuesday.

He said they are tackling the Myanmar border situation with patience as per the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“Our home and foreign ministries are working to send back the Myanmar nationals who entered Bangladesh to their country,” Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui said.

About the killings of two persons in Myanmar mortar shell strike, he said the BGB sent a protest note in this regard. “The DA of Myanmar Embassy in Dhaka met me at the BGB Headquarters on Tuesday morning. The DA assured us of resolving the matter,” the BGB chief said.

He informed that 65 Rohingyas in a boat tried to intrude into Bangladesh territory on Tuesday, but the BGB men did not allow them.

Meanwhile, nine members of the United Nations Security Council condemned “indiscriminate” airstrikes by Myanmar’s military against civilians before an envoy briefed the council Monday as part of regional efforts to implement a peace plan that has so far been largely ineffective, reports AP.

The plan, adopted in April 2021 shortly after the military seized power in a takeover that sparked a civil war, calls for the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar, a dialogue among all concerned parties, mediation by a special envoy from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, provision of humanitarian aid through ASEAN channels, and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet all concerned parties.

Before the council meeting, nine of the 15 council members stood before reporters to support a statement read by Britain’s UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward, which echoed ASEAN’s call urging Myanmar’s armed forces, “in particular, to cease its attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

The nine council members — Ecuador, France, Japan, Malta, South Korea, Slovenia, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States — said that, three years after the military takeover, more than 18 million people need humanitarian aid and 2.6 million remain displaced.

Besides, India will fence the entire 1,643-km border with Myanmar and build a patrolling track next to the fence, Home Minister Amit Shah said in a post on X on Tuesday, reports NDTV.

The Modi government has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer Indo-Myanmar border. To facilitate better surveillance, a patrol track along the border will also be paved, he said.

After meeting the Home Minister on 3 February, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had announced the Centre “is set to take some important decisions in the interests of the people of Manipur”.