At least 128 more members of Myanmar's Border Guard Police (BGP) took refuge in Bangladesh through the Naf River near Shahporir Dwip in Teknaf of Cox's Bazar on Sunday and Saturday amid the ongoing conflict between the junta forces and rebel Arakan Army.
Of them, BGB troops came into Bangladesh through Kanchan jetty under Sabrang union around 11:00am on Saturday facing an attack by the Arakan Army, local sources said.
They surrendered to the Bangladesh Coast Guard members stationed in the three boats in the Naf River, the locals added.
The junta troops were disarmed and provided food and medicine before they were handed over to the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB), our Cox's Bazar staff correspondent said quoting the sources.
Earlier on Saturday, 40 BGP members entered Bangladesh through two points of Teknaf border.
However, BGB authorities did not confirm it.
Among the 40 BGP troops, 14 entered Bangladesh through Achar Bunia border in Sabrangrang union of Teknaf and 22 people through Nazirpara border in the same upazila. Later four more BGP members took shelter through Nazir Para around 12:00pm on Saturday, local sources said.
BGB first disarmed them and later shifted them to Hnila High School, they added.
No official version of BGB was available in this regard despite several attempts.
On February 15 and April 25, a total of 618 Myanmar nationals, mostly BGP members, entered Bangladesh after fleeing the ongoing conflict between the military junta and the Arakan Army in Rakhine state. Later, they returned to their country in two phases.
The conflict between the Junta troops and Arakan Army intensified from the beginning of February along the Ghumdhum border in Naikhonchhari upazila of Bandarban.
Meanwhile, two Bangladeshi nationals suffered serious injuries in a landmine explosion near border pillar No 47-48 on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border on Saturday evening.
The injured were identified as Nurul Absar,18, son of late Mohammad of Jaruliachhari village of Naikhangchhari Sadar union and Md Babu,17, son of Ali Ahmed of Kambonia village of Naikhongchhari Sadar union.
According to locals, the youths might have gone to the area to smuggle into cattle or yaba pills.
The injured were given first aid at Naikhongchhari Upazila Health Complex.
As their condition deteriorated, the doctors referred them to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for better treatment, said Naikhangchhari Sadar Union Parishad Chairman Nurul Absar Emon.
One of the injured, one was from his area, and the other is a resident of Moulvir Kata village in Kachchhpia union, he added.
