Over the last four and a half decades since Bangladesh’s independence, the remote hills on the border have gradually become a safe den for a number of separatist groups from neighbouring Myanmar.
Taking refuge in the deep hilly forests, these separatists have often infiltrated human settlements in Bangladesh and committed crimes such as murder, rape, extortion, looting, kidnapping and arms trading.
Local say these groups have been particularly active in the hills over the last few years. In order to have the money for buying arms and ammunition, they looted a bank in Rangamati and realised millions of taka in ransom by kidnapping local government and NGO officials and businessmen.
The Myanmar Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front, Arakan People’s Army (APA), Arakan Liberation Army (ALA), National United Party of Arakan (NUPA), Operation Army (OP), Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NFLT) and the Arakan Army are some of the most active groups in these bordering hills.
Over the last one year, authorities here secured an area of nearly 110km along the border with Myanmar. But, another 439km stretch has remained unguarded.
Intelligence reports have said that these separatist groups have been supplying arms and ammunition to the militant organisations active inside Bangladesh.
In some of the raids over the years, Bangladeshi security forces have seized lethal weapons such as AK27, AK47 and M16 rifles, British and Chinese-made machine guns, explosives, mortars, Chinese rocket launchers, thousands of rounds of bullets and huge stashes of gunpowders.
The Arakan Army
On Wednesday morning, members of the Arakan Army were scouting a consignment of 13 horses for their own use. These animals are much more convenient for transport in the hill areas than mechanical or motorised vehicles.
When a patrol team of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) challenged them, they opened fire on the border guards and injured Corporal Jakir Hossain.
That night, Bangladesh Army arrested a member of the Arakan Army named Aung Kraw Rakhaine, 25, by raiding Collegepara area of Rangamti and seized two horses and three uniforms of the separatist group. Later, a lawsuit was filed against him by the Bangladesh Army.
The Arakan Army was formed in April 2009. It is led by Tuan Mart Nayang.
In an announcement made in 2012, the Arakan Army, which says it wants to make the Arakan state independent and give the right of self-determination to the Arakani people, claimed that they had 500 members.
This group has its den in Ruma and Thanchi areas of Bandarban and has been allegedly committing various crimes from there.
The Dhaka Tribune has learned that the horse consignment – centring which the gunfight took place on Wednesday – was collected from Chittagong after Eid-ul-Fitr.
Truck driver Abdur Razzak, who transported these horses, told this reporter: “These horses were brought for Rony Marma, a local headman in Thanchi.”
Allegations have it that Rony Marma sold those horses at high profits to the Arakan Army. He could not be reached on his mobile phone despite repeated attempts.
After the gunfight on Wednesday morning, reinforcements were flown in by helicopters from the Balipara BGB camp and the Ali Kadam zone of Bangladesh Army.
Maliram Tripura, union council chairman of Remakri union under Thanchi, said although the situation appears calm on the surface, the army has been continuing its raid in the area.
Yesterday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and BGB Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed visited the area where the gunfight had taken place.
Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Mizanul Haque Chowdhury said there has been no news of any fresh gunfight from the Baro Modok area.
