A Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) member was shot and another abducted by the Burmese Border Guard Police (BGP) at the Burma-Bangladesh border on the Naf River near Dum Dum Meah, in Teknaf on 17 June at about 6.30am, according to a BGB source.
Sepoy Biplob, 35, a member of a BGB team patrolling the Naf River was injured after being shot at by BGP forces. Nayek Abdul Razzak, another BGB guard, was abducted by the BGP and is being held at a BGP camp near the Naf River in Burma, according to a BGB source from Teknaf.
According to the Teknaf 42 BGB Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Abujar Al-Jahid, the BGB patrol team intercepted a BGP boat on the Naf River inside Bangladeshi territory whilst the Burmese guards were searching another boat, at around around 6:30am on Wednesday.
This angered the Burmese border guards, so they started shooting at the Bangladeshi boat, injuring Biplob, before quickly leaving the scene.
Lt. Col. Al-Jahid said: “A Burmese border guard patrol on the river fired at the BGB, leading to an exchange of fire between them. The unwanted shooting broke out because the Burmese border forces mistook them [the BGB] for human-traffickers or smugglers.”
During the fighting another BGB guard, Abdur Razzak, was captured and taken away by the BGP men, according to the BGB Cox's Bazar Sector Commander, Colonel M. M. Anisur Rahman.
But, the Arakan State Government Secretary, U Tin Maung Swe, claimed that the BGB boat had entered into Burmese territory and while the BGP were checking the boat, the Bangladeshi guards started firing at the Burmese guards, resulting in one of the Burmese men being hit in the leg by gunfire.
Myo Swe, a BGP officer, said they were in a patrol boat near the border when they heard a boat stopping nearby, so they went to check and the occupants of the boat, the BGB, started firing at the Burmese patrol boat. The BGP returned fire and captured an armed BGB guard who is now being held at the BGP camp.
Sepoy Biplob was taken to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital to be treated for his gunshot wounds. He was later transferred to the Combined Military Hospital in Chittagong, according to Lt. Col. Al-Jahid.
Col. M. M. Anisur Rahman said the BGB immediately sent a letter to the BGP authorities protesting about the shooting and abduction of their men. He added that they were prepared to hold a flag meeting at any time with the Burmese to discuss the issue.
Edited for BNI by Mark Inkey
