Media: The Independent
The number of landmine accidents on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border is increasing by the day. Many Rohingyas are losing their lives or limbs because of the landmines planted by the Myanmar security forces near the barbed-wire fences.
The Myanmar security forces are allegedly planting the landmines to control the movement of Rohingyas and to force them to return to their villages.
Many of the Rohingyas who were injured in landmine blasts near the border are undergoing treatment at Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) in Ukhiya, the Memorial Christian Hospital (MCH) in Chokoria, and the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in Chittagong city.
“They have planted the landmines mostly across a 70-km area in the Naikhongchhari upazila of Bangladesh from border pillars no. 30–55, as the Rohingyas are mostly entering Bangladesh through these points. The landmines or IEDs (improvised explosive devices) were planted in these areas so that they cannot return via these points,” explained SM Sarwar Kamal, the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Naikhongchhari upazila.
“We, along with the intelligence branch, have already informed the senior officials of the government about this,” he said. Bangladesh shares a 272-km border with Myanmar.
Lt Col Munzurul Hasan Khan, commander of the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB), told The Independent: “Myanmar has planted landmines near the Naikhongchhari border pillars in its own territory. They have planted the landmines outside our area.”
Security expert Maj. Emdadul Islam told The Independent, “According to international convention, a country cannot plant landmines or booby traps on the border without a mutual understanding with the neighbouring country. Myanmar has done it unlawfully. We must protest against this.”
On Tuesday, two Rohingya children were injured in a landmine blast at border pillar no. 34 in Uttar Para of Naikhongchhari in Bandarban on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. The children were identified as Kaisar, 10, and Alam, 7. Both were critically injured and have been admitted to the UNHCR Hospital in the Kutupalong refugee camp at Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar.
Two landmines exploded around 12.45 pm and 1 pm on Tuesday. The two children had taken shelter in the no-man’s land with their families and were waiting to cross the border. They were playing when the first landmine exploded. Though they escaped it, the second blast left Kaisar with a critical head injury and Alam with a wound on his forehead, said local and administrative sources.
The families rescued the two children and crossed the border through Naikhongchhari. Later, they were admitted to the UNHCR Hospital in Ukhiya.
SM Sarwar Kamal, the UNO of Naikhongchhari, confirmed this incident.
On Monday, a Rohingya woman named Sabekur Nahar, 45, was seriously injured in a landmine explosion in Raybunia area near pillar no. 31 at Naikhongchhari’s Tumbru border. She is also undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ukhiya.
Nabab Sharif, a 16-year-old student and son of Harun-or-Rashid of Mangla in Maungdaw, was injured in a landmine blast when walking on a pavement in Mangla on August 27.
“I had stepped on something made of metal which was partially buried in the ground and it exploded. Then, I passed out. I woke up at the hospital,” said Nabab, who is undergoing treatment at CMCH.
“He received 25 per cent burns in his hands and legs and 9 per cent in his face. He is in a critical condition. From the nature of his injury, it seems it was due to a landmine blast,” said Dr Md Iqbal Hossain, head of the orthopaedic department of CMCH.
Five more victims of landmine blasts are undergoing treatment at MCH under Dr Stephen Kelly.
In the 1990s, many Rohingyas died or suffered permanent disability due to landmine blasts. The menace has returned to haunt the Rohingyas once again.
“We want to return to our village. But now, the landmines are a new threat to our return,” said Deen Mohammad, waiting at the no-man’s land at Naikhongchhari in Bandarban.
According to the Reuters, Myanmar, which was under military rule until recently and is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, is one of the few countries that have not signed the 1997 UN Mine Ban Treaty.
