Bangladesh protests repeated airspace violations by Myanmar

DHAKA, Bangladesh

Bangladesh on Sunday summoned Myanmar’s ambassador to Dhaka for the third time in two weeks in protest against the growing border tension and violation of the Bangladeshi airspace.

Myanmar’s Ambassador in Dhaka U Aung Kyaw Moe was summoned to the State Guest House Padma in the capital Dhaka after two mortar shells fired by Myanmar’s forces landed inside Bangladesh on Saturday.

“We summoned Myanmar’s ambassador over the recent landing of Myanmar’s mortar shells inside Bangladesh. We strongly condemned the violation of airspace and shelling along the border areas,” Miah Md. Mainul Kabir, a Foreign Ministry official, told Anadolu Agency.

The two shells fell inside the no-man's land in the northeastern district of Bandarban. However, no injuries or property damage was reported.

Earlier, two shells landed in the same district on Aug. 28 and the following day the Foreign Ministry summoned Myanmar’s envoy to lodge a protest.

Following the incidents, Bangladesh directed its border forces to extend monitoring and safety measures throughout the tension-gripped borders. Border residents have been instructed to remain vigilant.

Tension also mounted inside Bangladesh as heavy gunfights between the Myanmar army and the Arakan Army fighters intensified recently.

Bangladesh currently hosts over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar's Rakhine State following a brutal military crackdown in August 2017.