Amid tensions along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, members of the Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) opened fire on a Bangladeshi fishing boat in Naf river of Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar, leaving two fishermen injured.
The unexpected development comes at a time when Bangladesh is sheltering 285 BGP members who fled an ongoing conflict between Myanmar’s military junta and the Arakan Army in Rakhine state.
The incident occurred around 11:00 am yesterday in the Naikhondia area of the Naf river estuary, three kilometers off the shore of Shah Porir Dwip, according to sources at Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
The injured are Faruq Mia, 37, of Dakkhin para, and Md Ismail, 19, of Majer Dailpara under Shah Porir Dwip union.
Faruq suffered critical bullet wounds to his hands and legs, the sources said.
The BGP opened fire on the Bangladeshi fishermen from a warship, confirmed Lt Col Mohiuddin Ahmed, commanding officer of BGB Battalion -2 in Teknaf.
“We sent a letter to the Myanmar authorities protesting this incident,” he said.
Mohammad Yusuf, one of the fishermen on the trawler, said they were returning to Shah Porir Dwip after fishing in the Bay of Bengal near Saint Martin’s Island.
At that time, a Myanmar ship was patrolling the area adjacent to Naikhondia.
“Suddenly, they opened fire on us and injured two of our fellow fishermen. We were in Bangladeshi waters at the time. We waved our hands and the Bangladeshi flag, signaling them not to shoot. But they shot at us anyway.”
Suriya Yasmin, medical officer of Teknaf Upazila Health Complex, said, “While Ismail was slightly injured, Faruq was hit by three bullets and was sent to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital as his condition was serious.”
Earlier on February 15, 330 Myanmar nationals, including 302 BGP officials and four of their family members, two army personnel, 18 immigration members, and four civilians, who had entered Bangladesh, were safely returned to their country.
Tags: Bangladeshi fishermen injured BGP firing
