Bandarban, June 25 (V7N): - Another landmine explosion has occurred along the Naikhyangchhari border in Bandarban, leaving a young man seriously injured. The blast severed the lower part of his left leg below the ankle. He is currently undergoing treatment at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital.

The injured has been identified as Omar Mia, 25, son of Saber Mia, a resident of Moulvikata area in Kachhapia Union under Ramu Upazila of Cox’s Bazar district.

The incident took place around 10:00 AM on Wednesday (June 25), near pillars 46 and 47 of the Jaruliachhari Border Outpost (BOP). Officer-in-Charge of Naikhyangchhari Police Station, Md. Masrurul Haque, confirmed the incident and stated that locals rescued the injured youth and transported him to a hospital.

According to local sources, Omar Mia has long been involved in cross-border smuggling of cattle and narcotics. He was reportedly attempting to smuggle contraband across the border when he accidentally stepped on a landmine allegedly planted by the Arakan Army—a rebel group operating inside Myanmar. The explosion resulted in the traumatic amputation of his foot. He was initially taken to the Naikhyangchhari Upazila Health Complex and later transferred to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for advanced medical care.

Border communities and security analysts suspect that ongoing clashes between the Arakan Army and Myanmar’s military junta have led to extensive mine-laying along the frontier, posing serious risks to civilians on both sides of the border.

This is not an isolated incident. Just three days ago, on June 22, a teenage boy lost a leg in a similar landmine blast near the Jamchhari border area of Naikhyangchhari. The rising number of such incidents has sparked concern among locals and humanitarian agencies alike. Over the past year, more than 10 individuals have been severely injured or permanently disabled due to landmine explosions in the region.

In another related incident, on June 23, a Myanmar national named Tongchongya, a resident of Midak village in Rakhine State, was critically injured in a landmine explosion near pillar no. 35 along the Ghumdhum border in the Chakmakata area.

The escalating use of landmines along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border is creating an increasingly dangerous environment, especially for civilians engaged in farming, cattle grazing, or those involved in informal trade activities. Human rights organizations have repeatedly called for international monitoring and de-mining efforts in the area to prevent further casualties.

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