Bangladeshi Fisherman Injured by Gunfire from Myanmar Border

A Bangladeshi fisherman was injured after gunfire allegedly came from the Myanmar side of the border in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, prompting heightened alert along the frontier.

Gunfire was heard on Friday morning from across the Myanmar border in the North Para area of Whykong. The incident followed a shooting the previous evening in which a fisherman, Alamgir (31), was hit while fishing in the Naf River.

Alamgir, a resident of Balukhali village near the Whykong Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) camp and son of Syed Ahmed, sustained a gunshot wound to his left hand. He was initially taken to a hospital in Kutupalong, Ukhiya, before being transferred to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital as his condition worsened.

Confirming the incident, Lieutenant Colonel Zahirul Islam, commanding officer of the Border Guard Bangladesh 64 Battalion in Ukhiya, said gunfire was heard from across the Myanmar border on Friday morning. He added that border residents had been advised to stay in safe locations and that BGB personnel remain on high alert.

According to Alamgir’s family, he went fishing with several others on Thursday afternoon. When their boat reached Bilashi Island in the middle of the river, sudden gunfire erupted from the Myanmar side, striking him.

Local residents said tensions have been rising in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, with frequent clashes over control of newly emerged islands in the Naf River. Armed groups, including the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO), and other factions, are reportedly involved in intermittent firefights.

Areas such as Totar Dia, Hasimer Dia, Bilashi Island and Hoser Dia have been affected, creating fear among nearly 8,000 border residents and placing thousands of local fishermen at risk.

Whykong Police Outpost Sub-Inspector Khokon Kanti Rudra said residents often report hearing gunfire from across the border and confirmed that a fisherman was injured in the Naf River on Thursday, though it remains unclear who fired the shots.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Imamul Hafiz Nadim said authorities are closely monitoring the situation and the welfare of the injured fisherman and his family, while urging border residents to remain cautious amid the ongoing security concerns.