Teknaf, Jan 13 (V7N) — A human chain was held on Monday morning in the Whaikyang Station area of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, protesting the shooting of schoolgirl Huzaifa Sultana Afran, who was critically injured by gunfire allegedly fired from a rebel group operating in a border-adjacent area of Myanmar.

The demonstration took place around 11:00 am on the Whaikyang Techchhi Bridge highway road in Teknaf upazila. People from various walks of life, including local elected representatives, teachers, students, and human rights activists, participated in the protest.

During the human chain, speakers strongly condemned the indiscriminate firing from across the Myanmar border and called for an immediate halt to such attacks. They described the injury of innocent Bangladeshi civilians by cross-border gunfire as deeply alarming and a serious violation of humanitarian norms.

Addressing the gathering, Mohammad Alam said the actions of Myanmar-based rebel groups must be confronted with a firm international response. Another speaker, Ali Hossain, said residents of border areas are living in constant fear, with children and women facing the highest risks. He stressed the need for urgent diplomatic initiatives to ensure lasting peace and security along the border.

Speakers further demanded proper medical treatment for the injured student, support for her family, and effective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. They urged the government to take decisive steps to protect civilians living in border regions.

Other participants called on the United Nations and the international community to exert pressure so that Myanmar’s internal conflict does not spill over into Bangladesh, causing injury or loss of life among innocent people.

Huzaifa’s father, Jasim Uddin, said his daughter was shot on Sunday while she was going out to play when a bullet allegedly fired by a Myanmar rebel group struck her in the head. She was rushed to hospital and is currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit at Chattogram Medical College Hospital. He appealed for advanced medical care for his daughter and government assistance for the family.

The shooting, which reportedly originated from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, has sparked widespread concern and fear across Teknaf and other border areas, highlighting the growing risks faced by civilians amid ongoing instability across the frontier.

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