In the face of continuous shelling and fire of bullets into Bangladesh territory from across the Myanmar borders in Gumdhum union under Naikhongchhari in Bandarban, local authorities are considering the evacuation of 300 families from the area.
Gumdhum Union Parishad Chairman Jahangir Aziz confirmed the development on Sunday.
Earlier, the local authorities relocated an SSC centre considering the security of students and local residents.
Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Yasmin Parveen Tibriji on Saturday said that the law enforcers were kept alert on the Bangladesh border near Myanmar as the government was giving utmost importance to the safety of the people. "We will take necessary measures to keep the people safe,” he told reporters.
According to local sources, 60 families of Gumdhum union left their homes following Friday’s firing that left four locals and three Rohingya people at Gumdhum no man’s land injured. One of the Rohingyas died later.
Naikhongchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Salma Ferdous held a meeting on Sunday with Sadar Union Parishad Chairman Nurul Absar, Gumdhum Union Parishad Chairman Jahangir Aziz and representatives of law enforcement agencies.
During the meeting, the local representatives urged the authorities to relocate the people living close to the bordering areas to safer locations.
UNO Salma Ferdous told Dhaka Tribune that they were considering the option and would convey their concerns to the higher authorities.
Local representatives said since there is no shelter centre in the union, it will be difficult to move all 300 families from the area.
They said that the families are currently living in terror as the firing from the other side did not stop even till Sunday when the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry summoned the Myanmar envoy to Dhaka for the fourth time.
Panic spread in the area in August when the Myanmar border security force, Border Guard Police (BGP), hurled mortar shells at the Tumbru no man’s land where several thousand Rohingyas have taken refuge.
On September 3, Myanmar helicopters intruded to within 300 to 400 yards of Bangladeshi airspace at Naikhongchhari point several times. Shells and gunshots were fired from warplanes and helicopters.