Naikhongchhari, Aug 12 (V7N) – Intense gunfire erupted from within Myanmar’s territory near the Tumbru border of Ghumdhum Union in Naikhongchhari Upazila around 10:00 PM on Sunday night, causing widespread fear among local residents in Bangladesh.
 
Locals reported that the sudden and prolonged gunfire came from the direction of Myanmar’s Rakhine State, just across border pillars 34 and 35, approximately 300 to 350 meters inside Myanmar territory. According to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), no bullets crossed into Bangladesh.
 
Lt. Colonel S M Khairul Alam, Commanding Officer of BGB Battalion 34 in Cox’s Bazar, confirmed the incident. He stated that the gunfire lasted between 7 to 10 minutes, during which an estimated 30 to 40 rounds were fired. "Although no gunshots entered Bangladeshi territory, the incident prompted us to immediately increase patrols and tighten surveillance along the border," he added.
 
BGB officials suspect the gunfight took place between Myanmar’s rebel group, the Arakan Army, and Rohingya armed factions, possibly ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) or RSO (Rohingya Solidarity Organization). However, it remains unclear which group was involved in the exchange with the Arakan Army.
 
Local sources claim the gunfire originated near the Narkel Bagan area across the border, where two camps of the Arakan Army are known to be active. Residents of Ghumdhum’s border communities, already living in uncertainty due to ongoing unrest across the border, are reportedly alarmed by the sudden resurgence of violence.
 
Nur Mohammad Bhutto, a member of Ghumdhum Union Parishad’s Ward 2, said, “This is the first time in over a year and a half that we’ve heard gunfire this intense from the border. It’s difficult to understand exactly what’s happening across the line, but the sounds were loud and continuous.”
 
Following the incident, BGB has maintained a heightened state of alert and is closely monitoring the situation to prevent any potential spillover of conflict into Bangladesh.
 
The Myanmar border, especially in areas adjacent to Bangladesh’s Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar districts, has witnessed escalating tensions since the renewed offensive by the Arakan Army in late 2023. In December 2024, the Arakan Army claimed to have taken control of all 271 kilometers of Myanmar's Rakhine border with Bangladesh — a development that has since heightened security concerns on the Bangladeshi side.
 
As the situation unfolds, BGB remains in close communication with higher authorities, and no infiltration or casualties on the Bangladeshi side have been reported so far.
 
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