5 Rohingyas reach Cox’s Bazar on boat

Amid fighting between Myanmar troops and the rebel Arakan Army on the other side of the Naf river, a small boat carrying five Rohingyas, including a woman with bullet wounds, arrived at the Shahporir Dwip jetty in Cox's Bazar's Teknaf yesterday evening.

Abdus Salam, union parishad member of Shahporir Dwip Ward-9 under Sabrang union, said, "Five Rohingyas -- four men and an injured woman -- arrived at our jetty from Myanmar in a small boat.

"On information, BGB officials went to the spot. I heard they came here for treatment after being injured in the fighting between Myanmar troops and Arakan Army in the Rakhine State."

However, neither Teknaf's Border Guard Bangladesh nor the upazila administration have issued any statement in this regard.

The boat was at the jetty until at least 8:00pm, when the report was filed. 

Mohammad Zubair, chairman of Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, said Rohingyas living the of Nolbunnya Patancha, Nurulla and Hassurata in the Rakhine State have moved to either Maungdaw township or safer places due to the fighting in and around their villages.

Speaking to this correspondent on Friday, he said around 400-500 Rohingyas took shelter on boats after fleeing their homes in Nolbunnya area of Rakhine.

"Many of them were in contact with their relatives in the Cox's Bazar camps as they got cellular signals from Bangladesh. However, we lost contact with them today [yesterday]. They might have taken shelter further inland, out of mobile network reach."

He added that they also received information about some other boats where Rohingyas have taken shelter. "Those boats are anchored in different canals connected to the Naf."

Meanwhile, locals of Shahporir Dwip are living in a state of panic due to loud sounds of explosions and gunfire coming from the Myanmar side of the border.

The sounds of gunshots and explosions are getting louder, which suggests the fighting between Myanmar troops and the rebel Arakan Army has further intensified along the border of Ghumdhum union in Bandarban's Naikhongchhari and moved towards areas opposite to Hnila, Teknaf town and Shahporir Dwip in Teknaf.

Union Parishad Member Abdus Salam said, "Around 10:00am, loud sounds of explosions and gunfire were heard and the fighting continued intermittently until 2:00pm."

He said the intensity of the fighting was apparently less yesterday compared to that of the past two days.

"The Naf, flowing between Bangladesh and Myanmar, is at least three kilometers wide at this point, so there is no risk. But the people are frightened because of the loud sounds."

Commanding Officer of Teknaf-2 BGB Lt Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed said, "We are keeping an eye on the border. I heard news of shelling inside Myanmar this morning [yesterday]. BGB has strengthened its patrols at the borders."

Earlier this month, countless bullets and mortar shells crossed the border, forcing people from neighbourhoods along the border in Bandarban to flee. Besides damaging property, the bullets and explosives killed at least two people and injured several others in Bangladesh.