Heavy fighting on Myanmar side of border sends shockwaves through Shah Porir Dwip
BGB, coast guard stopped 616 Rohingyas from entering Bangladesh since the beginning of the conflict in Myanmar on 4 February
Gunfire and shelling that broke out on the Myanmar side of the border across Bandarban's Ghumdhum on Friday night continued this morning.
The ongoing conflict across the border has caused the area of Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf to tremble with the sounds of mortar shells and continuous gunfire, instilling panic among the people living near the border.
However, the situation on the border in Ukhiya has remained calm, said Abdullah Al Noman, a resident of the area.
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Abdur Rahim, a Ghumdhum's Baish Pari village resident, said he heard the sounds of heavy gunfire from last night until dawn.
Syed Karim, a school teacher from the same village, said he woke up with the sounds of gunfire.
"There was a break in the past few days," he added.
Amid the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the coast guard have so far sent back at least 616 Rohingyas attempting to enter Bangladesh illegally.
BGB Public Relations Officer Shariful Islam said they sent back 400 Rohingyas since the beginning of the conflict on 4 February.
The coast guard returned the remaining 216 Rohingyas.
"No new entries are being allowed through the border", said Lieutenant Tahsin Rahman, media officer for the Chattogram East zone of the coast guard.
Teknaf's Shah Porir Dwip and Jaliapara residents reported hearing the sounds of heavy mortar shells from Myanmar after 9pm on Friday until 1am.
Md Nasir, a resident of Shah Porir Dwip, said the sounds of heavy mortar shells could be heard intermittently from Myanmar.
"My house is right beside the embankment. It almost sounds like the mortar shells are landing on Naf River," he said.
[This correspondent is reporting from Cox's Bazar's Ukhiya.]
