Shooting continues at Tumbru zero line, 200 Rohingya families take shelter in schools
Around 200 Rohingya families have taken shelter in two schools in Tumbru following a fire in the Rohingya refugee camp near Tumbru border of Bandarban amid continuous gunfights at the zero line, according to a local public representative.
A fire broke out in the Rohingya camp in Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban on Wednesday evening after gunshots being fired throughout the day between two armed organisations of the Rohingyas at the zero line of the Tumbru border, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO).
Gunshots were also heard on Thursday morning which raised fear among the minds of residents of the area, Member of Ghumdhum Union Parishad's ward number 3 Md Alam told The Business Standard on Thursday afternoon.
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He also said that approximately 200 families, including fire-affected families and some innocent Rohingya families, have taken shelter at Tumbru Government Primary School and Tumbru Junior High School. Some families also sporadically left for Myanmar on Wednesday night, he added.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members have intensified patrolling across the border area, added the UP member.
It is feared that hundreds of houses in the Rohingya camp near the zero line of Konapara on the Tumbru border have been destroyed by the fire on Wednesday.
The cause of the fire has not been ascertained yet and the exact number of families who have taken shelter in the schools could not be calculated within the short period of time, said Naikhongchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Romen Sharma.
Naikhongchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Romen Sharma told The Business Standard on Thursday morning, "Some families went to the schools. We have talked to higher authorities about the next step. However, no decision has been taken yet."
BGB-34 Battalion Captain Lt Colonel Mohammad Saiful Islam Chowdhury was unavailable for comment.
Previously, on Wednesday, one person was killed and injured another as shots were fired between the two armed groups of Myanmar near the Rohingya camp alongside the zero line of Tumbru border of Ghumdhum in Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban, according to Rohingyas living at the camp.
Rohingya community leader living at the camp, Dil Mohammad, said, "A clash broke out in the morning between members of Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) around 6am Wednesday near Konarpara zero line in Naikhongchhari. Later, the clash spread inside the Rohingya camp as well. Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) also opened fire to control the situation."
