Myanmar Conflict: Death of our people simply unacceptable

It is unexpected and unacceptable that Myanmar’s conflicts are spilling over into Bangladesh, resulting in deaths and injuries of Bangladeshis, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told reporters at his ministry yesterday.

“At a time when discussions of Rohingya repatriation are going on, Myanmar’s conflict is entering Bangladesh. Mortar shells are falling onto our side of the border and injuring and killing our people…. We have summoned the Myanmar envoy and issued a strong protest.”

Earlier in the day, the foreign ministry summoned Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh U Aung Kyaw Mow to state guest house Padma. Foreign Ministry Director General Mia Md Mainul Kabir (Myanmar) handed the protest note to Aung Kyaw there.

Responding to the note, the Myanmar ambassador said he would relay the message to the authorities in Naypyidaw.

Until noon yesterday, 264 people, including members of Myanmar border and security forces and their families, entered Bangladesh to escape the fighting between the Myanmar military and the rebel Arakan Army.

Some of them came injured and were taken to Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar hospitals for treatment.

On Monday, a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man were killed when a mortar shell from Myanmar exploded in Ghumdhum near the border. Several others were injured.

About those seeking shelter in Bangladesh, Hasan Mahmud said the Myanmar authorities suggested taking the members of the security forces back through the waterway. “The discussion is still ongoing.”

Foreign ministry sources said the government feels it would be a better option to return the security forces member by air.

Meanwhile, Hasan Mahmud rejected BNP’s accusation that the country’s lenient foreign policy was to blame for the Myanmar conflict spilling over into Bangladesh.

“Bangladesh is not responsible for Myanmar’s internal conflicts…. BNP thought the foreign countries will not welcome the new government of Bangladesh after the polls. But now that all are welcoming and expressing their interests to work with us, BNP is speaking the language of the insane.”

Also yesterday, the foreign minister met with Norwegian Ambassador Espen Rikter-Svendsen and Vatican Ambassador Archbishop Kevin Stuart Randall.

The Norwegian ambassador handed over the congratulatory letter for the new government on behalf of Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide to Hasan Mahmud.

“Norway has expressed eagerness to work on blue economy and wind power generation,” Hasan Mahmud said.

During his meeting with the Vatican ambassador, he said that Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State, is scheduled to visit India this year and Bangladesh has invited him to visit again.

Meanwhile, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah yesterday said that India has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1,643km-long India-Myanmar border and place a patrol track along it to facilitate stronger surveillance.

“Of the total border length, a 10km stretch in Manipur’s Moreh has already been fenced ….” he wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“The Modi government is committed to building impenetrable borders.”

Myanmar shares border with four north eastern Indian states — Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Mizoram and Manipur also recently saw an influx of Myanmarese civilians and soldiers in their thousands following the conflicts between the Myanmar military and Arakan army.