BGB protests killing of Bangladeshi national in Myanmar mortar shelling

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has strongly protested the killing of a Bangladeshi woman after a mortar shell, reportedly fired by Myanmar, fell on the Ghumdum border in Bandarban.

The process of sending back the Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) members, who have taken shelter in Bangladesh, is underway, said Cox's Bazar Region Commander Brigadier General Morshed Alam, after visiting Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban on Monday. 

"I have been closely monitoring the situation on the border for a few days. The BGB headquarters, the home ministry and the foreign ministry are in talks with Myanmar to send them back. If the decision comes from there, we will send them back,” he added. 

No Myanmar citizens or Rohingyas have been able to enter Bangladesh so far. Additional BGB members will be deployed, the commander said.

Meanwhile, seven more members of BGP have fled to Bangladesh amid clashes between the Myanmar military and the armed rebel group, Arakan Army.

With them, the number of BGP personnel who took shelter in Bangladesh so far stands at 113.

Shariful Islam, public relations officer (PRO) of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), said that 113 BGP members have so far entered Bangladesh through the Tumbru border in Naikhangchhari upazila of Bandarban district with arms and ammunition.

The BGB disarmed them and took them to a safe shelter, he said.

On Monday afternoon, two people were killed and a child was injured after a mortar shell fell on the Ghumdum border in Bandarban.

The incident took place at around 2:30pm when the shell hit an under-construction house in the Naikhongchhari upazila.

The deceased have been identified as Hosneara Begum, 50 and Rohingya labourer Nabi Hossain. The injured child is the victim Hosneara Begum's grandchild.