Bandarban, Sept 15 (V7N) — Residents living near the Ghumdhum border area of Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban reported hearing gunfire from across the Myanmar side late on Sunday night.
 
According to Helal, a ward member of Ghumdhum Union Parishad, the sound of intermittent gunfire was heard between 1:30 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. Locals also reported hearing loud explosions around 2:00 a.m., which they suspected could have been mortar shell blasts.
 
Mostakim Aziz, a resident of Tumbru Bazar near the border, said the sudden bursts of heavy gunfire left families in fear. “We heard 40 to 50 rounds of gunfire in quick succession. The entire area was filled with panic,” he said.
 
Local journalist Mahmudul Hasan stated that the gunfire was believed to have originated near two camps of the Arakan Army, known as “Right” and “Left” camps, which the armed group seized from Myanmar’s junta forces in February 2024.
 
Confirming the incident, Naikhongchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Muhammad Majharul Islam Chowdhury said they were aware of the situation and had instructed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to remain alert to any developments along the frontier.
 
Lieutenant Colonel S. M. Khairul Alam, commanding officer of the 34 BGB Battalion, told reporters that the exchange of fire had taken place inside Myanmar territory, around 300 to 350 yards from the border, and had no impact on Bangladesh. He added that the clashes might have been between the Arakan Army and other armed groups, including ARSA or RSO.
 
In December 2024, the Arakan Army claimed control over the entire 271-kilometer stretch of the Rakhine side of the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. Since then, the group has maintained dominance in the region.
 
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