A Bangladeshi fisherman suffered a gunshot wound while fishing in the Naf River near Teknaf on Thursday night amid ongoing clashes across the Myanmar border.
The injured man, Md Alamgir, 30, comes from Balukhali village in Ward 2 of Whykong Union in Teknaf. He now receives treatment at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital.
Alamgir’s elder brother, Sarwar Alam, said “Alamgir and another fisherman, Md Akbar, went to fish near Bilaichari island on the Whykong stretch of the river after Maghrib prayers. They cast their nets from a small boat when they heard several bursts of gunfire.”
“Almghir collapsed inside the boat soon after. A bullet pierced his left arm and exited on the other side. Fellow fishermen Akbar rescued him” he added.
They first took him to Ukhiya Kutupalong MMS Hospital. Doctors provided first aid and referred him to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for advanced treatment.
Ward member Sirajul Mostafa Lalu u of Whykong union confirmed the incident. He said Myanmar’s Rakhine border area often echoes with gunfire, and several rounds and explosions were also heard on Thursday.
Border Guard Bangladesh Ukhiya 64 Battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Md Zahirul Islam, said the force became aware of the shooting. He said patrols increased along the border after the incident and the situation remained under control.
Zahirul Islam noted that some fishermen still go to the Naf River despite restrictions on fishing, and the authorities plan awareness measures for local fishermen.
On 27 December, gunfire and explosions were heard several times along the Ukhiya and Teknaf borders in Cox’s Bazar and in Bandarban Naikhongchhari as fighting intensified in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
