At least 49 members of a Rohingya armed group crossed into Bangladesh on Sunday after violent clashes erupted between Arakan Army and Rohingya armed groups inside Myanmar, while a Bangladeshi child who was hit by a stray bullet during the fighting remains alive and is in critical condition.
Rohingya armed group members entered Bangladesh through the Hoikyang border area of Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar district between Sunday morning and noon.
They are currently in police custody and are expected to be handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), according to police and BGB sources.
Earlier in the morning, reports had emerged that a Bangladeshi child was killed by gunfire originating from across the Myanmar border.
However, police later confirmed that the child survived and is now receiving medical treatment.
Hoikyang Police Outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector Khokon Kanti Rudra said intense fighting broke out early Sunday between Arakan Army and a Rohingya armed group inside Myanmar, near the zero line along the Teknaf border. The two sides reportedly exchanged gunfire for nearly an hour.
“As the fighting intensified, members of Rohingya armed group retreated towards the border area. Around 9:00 AM, fresh gunfire erupted, during which bullets fired from Myanmar side struck a Bangladeshi house,” he said.
A seven-year-old child, Afnan, daughter of Jasim Uddin from the same area, was hit by a bullet.
Initially, it was widely believed that the child had died and even her parents mistakenly reported her death. Later it was confirmed that she was still alive.
The child was first taken to MSF hospital in Kutupalong and later referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital in critical condition, police said.
BGB Cox’s Bazar Sector Commander Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed said that around noon, 49 members of Rohingya armed group crossed into Bangladesh after failing to withstand the fighting on Myanmar side.
“They were detained by BGB and police personnel immediately after crossing the border,” he said, adding that necessary procedures are underway.
Hoikyang union parishad acting Chairman Shah Jalal said confusion over the child’s condition led local residents to block roads, fearing she had been killed.
Law enforcement agencies and local representatives later calmed the situation after confirming that the child was alive and had been sent to Chattogram for treatment, he added.
SU/SH
