Tension is running high along the border in Bandarban following an exchange of gunfire between the members of Border Guard Bangladesh and Border Guard Police of Myanmar yesterday afternoon.
BGB sources said tension mounted along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border on Wednesday when a BGB member was killed by BGP men.
Witnesses said the exchange of gunfire started around 3:00pm yesterday and continued for about two hours, creating panic among the residents of Panchhari in Dochhari.
BGB Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune that Border Guard Police started firing on BGB patrol teams around 3:00pm when the BGB members went there to receive the body of Naik Mizanur Rahman who was killed by the BGP after his abduction during the exchange of gunfire.
“The body of the BGB member was supposed to be handed over to the BGB in the afternoon. But when the BGB members went to the agreed point, the BGP men opened fire on them instead of handing over the body,” he said. The BGB chief added: “The BGB members also fired back in self-defence.”
Maj Gen Aziz, however, said the firing stopped around 30 minutes after it had started. Additional forces were deployed there and the border guards increased their patrols in the area, he added.
He said, “Immediately after the incident, we have contacted the higher authorities of Border Guard Police who informed us that they have already instructed the lower authorities to hand over the body. But the low-ranking officials said they were yet to receive any such instructions.”
The BGB chief also said there was no move to hold any flag meeting, but the BGB authorities and the Foreign Ministry had protested the incident.
“We have asked them to return the body of the BGB member. They also have assured us of doing so. But we have got frustrated due to the latest activities of the Myanmar border forces,” said Maj Gen Aziz.
Our Bandarban Correspondent reported that Mizanur Rahman, who hailed from Debidwar upazila in Comilla district, had been carrying a submachine gun along with 120 rounds of bullet when he went missing.
The Myanmar border guards opened fire into a patrol team of BGB 31 battalion near the border pillar number 52 at Panchhari in Dochhari union on Wednesday.
Earlier on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry summoned Myanmar Ambassador in Dhaka Than MyoMyint and strongly protested the firing and detention of a member of BGB.
