Nine Myanmar BGP members flee to Bangladesh again

Nine members of the Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) fled to Kharangkhali border in Teknaf on Sunday morning for seeking shelter in Bangladesh due to the ongoing fighting with rebel groups near the border.

Lt Col Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, commander of the Border Guard Bangladesh Battalion-2 in Teknaf, said the BGP members entered Bangladesh through the Kharangkhali and Jhimongkhali borders in Teknaf.

They disarmed BGP men before taking them into custody, he said adding that they have already informed higher authorities.

Conflicts began between the Arakan Army and Myanmar’s border guard force, BGP, across the border in Naikhongchhari on February 2.

The fighting has had an impact on the people living in Bangladesh near the Myanmar border. Two people died so far from bullet wounds from shootouts in Myanmar. Several others have been injured as well. Mortar shells have also hit houses in Bangladesh.

People living near the border are experiencing anxiety due to a lack of security.

On March 11, around 179 members of Myanmar’s BGP fled to Bangladesh through the Naikhongchhari’s Jamchhari border and are currently at the Naikhongchhari BGB battalion. The process of repatriating them to Myanmar is ongoing.

Meanwhile, from February 4, some 7,330 people fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar. Among them, 302 were BGP members, four were family members of BGP personnel, two were army members, 18 were immigration officials, and four were civilians. They were formally repatriated on February 15.