Around Tuesday dawn, the Border Guard Police (BGP) of Myanmar posted near the Tambru border in Bandarban began shooting. The gunfire alarmed the local residents and terrified the Rohingya refugees living in the no man’s land between the two countries.
According to Ghundhum UP Member Dil Mohammad Bhutto, troops in several BGP outposts began firing around dawn, causing people to panic.
However, the local BGB commander, Major Iqbal with the 17 BGP Battalion posted in Naikkhongchhari, said they could not confirm whether the shots fired were between two clashing parties or blanks to intimidate locals.
He said the BGP has nine outposts and a camp near the Tambru border and that the Myanmar BGP has a history of firing shots in the air to intimidate people.
Also Read- Rohingya people in no man’s land: Warnings in daylight, shots fired at night
But, the Cox’s Bazar BGB has sent a letter of protest to the BGP asking why hundreds of shots were fired so close to the Bandarban border.
Nearly a year ago, the BGP started massing forces at the Tambru border. It began digging trenches and deploying heavy weaponry. In response, the BGB also reinforced its forces, increasing tensions across the border.
Last February, over 6,500 Rohingya refugees were found staying in the no man’s land between the two countries, as they refused to enter Bangladesh afraid they might be repatriated forcefully to Myanmar. In response, Myanmar began blaring loudspeakers and fire shots to intimidate the refugees and move them from the no man’s land.
