Myanmar conflict: Ghumdhum residents moving to shelters as another mortar shell lands in Bangladesh

Another mortar shell has landed in Bandarban's Ghumdhum union from Myanmar today (6 February) as fighting continues between rebel forces and the junta in the neighbouring conflict-torn country.

However, no one has been injured in the incident, said Shantanu Kumar Das, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Lama Upazila who is also in charge of Naikhangchhari.

Earlier yesterday (5 February), two people were killed after mortar shells reportedly fired from Myanmar landed and exploded on Bangladesh side along the Ghumdhum border of Bandarban.

Today another mortar shell landed in the courtyard of a house around 9am. Fear has gripped the area amid continuous firing, said UNO Shantanu Kumar Das adding that many have been removed from their residences near the border and being taken to shelters by law enforcement officers.

The sound of gunfire could be heard from across the Myanmar border, many residents on the Bangladeshi side of the border have fled to the houses of relatives further away from violence out of fear.

Panic has gripped the refugee camps in Myanmar also, with many waiting to cross over into Bangladesh as supply chains have been cut off due to the ongoing conflict, according to reports of agencies.

Since mounting a coup against an elected government in 2021, the junta is facing its biggest challenge, trying to contain a bloody rebellion which has seen allied anti-junta groups backed by a pro-democracy parallel government seize control of several military posts and towns.

This is evident in the development that after being attacked by rebels, at least 229 people from Myanmar, including members of Myanmar's Border Guard Police (BGP), have fled to Bangladesh and taken refuge in a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) outpost in Turmbru, Bandarban.