daily sun
Nur Uddin Alamgir, Chattogram
Publish: Sunday, 20 October, 2024
Despite having no involvement, Bangladesh has been bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict between the Myanmar security forces and the rebel Arakan Army (AA) along its frontiers under Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban districts for the past year.
In addition to renewed exodus of Rohingyas, the frequent gunshots and shelling have posed a serious threat to the tourism industry based on coral island Saint Martin and export-import business through the Teknaf Land Port since the violence flared up again in November last year.
Furthermore, the clashes left residents of border villages in a state of fear and created scope for smuggling of commodities and fuel, and drugs as well, according to sources concerned.
It may be mentioned that the Arakan Army, an ethnic Rakhine armed group, has been engaged in long-standing conflict with the Myanmar military for control over Rakhine State.
Hostilities between the junta forces and the AA reignited in mid-November 2023, ending a year-long unofficial ceasefire.
The conflict, which intensified since 3 February this year, has seen mortar shells and bullets encroaching into Bangladesh territory, resulting in casualties and injuries.
The situation has worsened in Maungdaw township, located in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, in August-September this year, with sounds of bombardments and gunshots reverberating from the areas.
Thousands of Rohingyas live in the surrounding villages, and many were forced to flee as the fighting escalated, according to media reports.
The rebel AA reportedly has captured several establishments and the military forces have been trying to recapture them, escalating the attacks including the air strikes.
Clashes in the Mungdow township of Rakhaine state have also intensified over the last few days.
Thousands of panic-stricken residents of the bordering areas, particularly those close to Teknaf, have been passing sleepless nights due to the heavy gunshots and shelling from near Mungdow township, on the other side of the River Naf.
The villages where the intensity of fighting are being felt mostly include Naittonggpara, Kayukkhaliapara, Chowdhurypara, Jaliapara, Kulalpara, Shilbania Para, Khankar Deil, Dailpara, Nazirpara, Moulvipara of Teknaf Sadar, Mogpara, Panchhori Para, Acharbuniya, Lejirpara, Degillabeel, Jhinapara of Sabrang union and Jaliapara, Camppara, Bazarpara and Mistripara of Shahparirdwip under the upazila.
Many Rohingyas fleeing the trouble-prone Rakhaine have been attempting to enter Bangladesh through various border points and the Naf River stretching from Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban to Teknaf under Cox’s Bazar district since November last year.
Thousands of them have entered Bangladesh with the help of local brokers. The influx was substantial after the ouster of the autocratic Awami League government on 5 August, thanks to lax monitoring by the security forces concerned.
Although there was no official figure of the newly intruded Rohingyas, the government on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the recent influx of more than 40,000 Myanmar nationals in Bangladesh, which is already home to nearly 12 lakh people from the community.
Moreover, 26 houses of the village Acharbunia under Sabrang union developed cracks reportedly due to shaking from the bombing on the Myanmar side recently.
There are some 174 kilometre-long frontiers with Myanmar under the Cox’s Bazar district. But it is difficult to check the entire frontiers constantly to resist the intruders.
Besides, fishing activities in the Naf river have also been restricted since 2018 as part of efforts to curb Rohingya intrusion. Now, with the ongoing violence, fishing has become difficult, leaving the local fishermen in dire consequence.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Adnan Chowdhury said usually some 11 passenger vessels carry 2.5-3 lakh tourists to and from the popular tourist attraction Saint Martin during the peak season, November to February, every year.
But the vessels couldn’t ply for the last two month of the last season due to the crisis in the junta-run country, he said.
“It is uncertain for this season too as movement of the vessel will be tough due to the resurged clashes and frequent firing on Bangladeshi fishing and passenger boats in the Naf river and Bay of Bengal from the Myanmar side,” feared the UNO.
Bullets were sprayed on trawlers and speedboats carrying election officials, patients, and construction materials and essential commodities near Naikkhondia of Myanmar side on 5 June, 8 June and 11 June this year.
This led to the suspension of trawler movement to and from Saint Martin’s Island since 6 June, resulting in a supply shortage for around 10,000 residents of the offshore island.
Since then, goods and passengers were transported with disruption through alternative routes.
Moreover, a Bangladeshi fisherman was killed and two others were injured as members of Myanmar Navy opened fire on them in the Bay of Bengal on 9 October.
Saint Martin Union Parishad Chairman Mujibur Rahman said the regular transportation of goods and passengers to and from the island are being hampered due to the violence in Myanmar.
The uncertainty also looms over the tourism industry, a key source of livelihood for many, for the upcoming season too, he stated.
The conflict has also stalled trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar through the Teknaf Land Port since February this year.
The unrest caused the suspension of vessel movement between the two countries over the period largely while port officials report a sharp drop in import and export activities.
Bangladesh imported 188,998 tonnes of goods worth around Tk1,545 crore from Myanmar through the port in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, earning Tk640.62 crore as duty and tax. During this period, Bangladesh exported a total of 2,941 tonnes of goods with a value of Tk6.72 crore to Myanmar, informed the Port Revenue Officer (RO) BM Abdullah Al Masum.
In 2023-2024 FY, the import fell drastically to 65,977 tonnes worth Tk808.40 core, with revenue dipping to Tk407.24 crore. The export was only 704 tonnes of goods worth Tk 2.45crore then, he said.
Besides, in the first quarter of 2024-2025 FY, only 4,936 tonnes of goods worth Tk51.54 crore were imported generating revenue of Tk40.92 crore.
The export was only 308kg worth Tk1.45 lakh in the three months, added the RO.
Myanmar is one of the main sources of drugs, mainly the Yaba, being smuggled to Bangladesh. The drug is frequently seized by the government agencies in Cox’s Bazar.
According to Cox’s Bazar Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) Assistant Director (AD) Sirajul Mostafa, the drug smuggling was decreased due to intensified border monitoring during the escalating clash in February.
After the 5 August, the drug smuggling has soared sharply due to slack border vigilance, he observed.
The number of drug-related cases has doubled in September and October as the smugglers capitalize on the crisis, commented the AD.
Contacted, Additional Refuge Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Md Shamsud Douza told the Daily Sun that addition of people with local ones is a burden.
“It creates multiple pressures at every stage of life of the local community,” he added.
Link : Here
Furthermore, the clashes left residents of border villages in a state of fear and created scope for smuggling of commodities and fuel, and drugs as well, according to sources concerned.
It may be mentioned that the Arakan Army, an ethnic Rakhine armed group, has been engaged in long-standing conflict with the Myanmar military for control over Rakhine State.
Hostilities between the junta forces and the AA reignited in mid-November 2023, ending a year-long unofficial ceasefire.
The conflict, which intensified since 3 February this year, has seen mortar shells and bullets encroaching into Bangladesh territory, resulting in casualties and injuries.
The situation has worsened in Maungdaw township, located in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, in August-September this year, with sounds of bombardments and gunshots reverberating from the areas.
Thousands of Rohingyas live in the surrounding villages, and many were forced to flee as the fighting escalated, according to media reports.
The rebel AA reportedly has captured several establishments and the military forces have been trying to recapture them, escalating the attacks including the air strikes.
Clashes in the Mungdow township of Rakhaine state have also intensified over the last few days.
Thousands of panic-stricken residents of the bordering areas, particularly those close to Teknaf, have been passing sleepless nights due to the heavy gunshots and shelling from near Mungdow township, on the other side of the River Naf.
The villages where the intensity of fighting are being felt mostly include Naittonggpara, Kayukkhaliapara, Chowdhurypara, Jaliapara, Kulalpara, Shilbania Para, Khankar Deil, Dailpara, Nazirpara, Moulvipara of Teknaf Sadar, Mogpara, Panchhori Para, Acharbuniya, Lejirpara, Degillabeel, Jhinapara of Sabrang union and Jaliapara, Camppara, Bazarpara and Mistripara of Shahparirdwip under the upazila.
Many Rohingyas fleeing the trouble-prone Rakhaine have been attempting to enter Bangladesh through various border points and the Naf River stretching from Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban to Teknaf under Cox’s Bazar district since November last year.
Thousands of them have entered Bangladesh with the help of local brokers. The influx was substantial after the ouster of the autocratic Awami League government on 5 August, thanks to lax monitoring by the security forces concerned.
Although there was no official figure of the newly intruded Rohingyas, the government on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the recent influx of more than 40,000 Myanmar nationals in Bangladesh, which is already home to nearly 12 lakh people from the community.
Moreover, 26 houses of the village Acharbunia under Sabrang union developed cracks reportedly due to shaking from the bombing on the Myanmar side recently.
There are some 174 kilometre-long frontiers with Myanmar under the Cox’s Bazar district. But it is difficult to check the entire frontiers constantly to resist the intruders.
Besides, fishing activities in the Naf river have also been restricted since 2018 as part of efforts to curb Rohingya intrusion. Now, with the ongoing violence, fishing has become difficult, leaving the local fishermen in dire consequence.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Adnan Chowdhury said usually some 11 passenger vessels carry 2.5-3 lakh tourists to and from the popular tourist attraction Saint Martin during the peak season, November to February, every year.
But the vessels couldn’t ply for the last two month of the last season due to the crisis in the junta-run country, he said.
“It is uncertain for this season too as movement of the vessel will be tough due to the resurged clashes and frequent firing on Bangladeshi fishing and passenger boats in the Naf river and Bay of Bengal from the Myanmar side,” feared the UNO.
Bullets were sprayed on trawlers and speedboats carrying election officials, patients, and construction materials and essential commodities near Naikkhondia of Myanmar side on 5 June, 8 June and 11 June this year.
This led to the suspension of trawler movement to and from Saint Martin’s Island since 6 June, resulting in a supply shortage for around 10,000 residents of the offshore island.
Since then, goods and passengers were transported with disruption through alternative routes.
Moreover, a Bangladeshi fisherman was killed and two others were injured as members of Myanmar Navy opened fire on them in the Bay of Bengal on 9 October.
Saint Martin Union Parishad Chairman Mujibur Rahman said the regular transportation of goods and passengers to and from the island are being hampered due to the violence in Myanmar.
The uncertainty also looms over the tourism industry, a key source of livelihood for many, for the upcoming season too, he stated.
The conflict has also stalled trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar through the Teknaf Land Port since February this year.
The unrest caused the suspension of vessel movement between the two countries over the period largely while port officials report a sharp drop in import and export activities.
Bangladesh imported 188,998 tonnes of goods worth around Tk1,545 crore from Myanmar through the port in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, earning Tk640.62 crore as duty and tax. During this period, Bangladesh exported a total of 2,941 tonnes of goods with a value of Tk6.72 crore to Myanmar, informed the Port Revenue Officer (RO) BM Abdullah Al Masum.
In 2023-2024 FY, the import fell drastically to 65,977 tonnes worth Tk808.40 core, with revenue dipping to Tk407.24 crore. The export was only 704 tonnes of goods worth Tk 2.45crore then, he said.
Besides, in the first quarter of 2024-2025 FY, only 4,936 tonnes of goods worth Tk51.54 crore were imported generating revenue of Tk40.92 crore.
The export was only 308kg worth Tk1.45 lakh in the three months, added the RO.
Myanmar is one of the main sources of drugs, mainly the Yaba, being smuggled to Bangladesh. The drug is frequently seized by the government agencies in Cox’s Bazar.
According to Cox’s Bazar Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) Assistant Director (AD) Sirajul Mostafa, the drug smuggling was decreased due to intensified border monitoring during the escalating clash in February.
After the 5 August, the drug smuggling has soared sharply due to slack border vigilance, he observed.
The number of drug-related cases has doubled in September and October as the smugglers capitalize on the crisis, commented the AD.
Contacted, Additional Refuge Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Md Shamsud Douza told the Daily Sun that addition of people with local ones is a burden.
“It creates multiple pressures at every stage of life of the local community,” he added.
Link : Here
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