United News of Bangladesh

Two teenagers were shot and injured apparently by  stray bullets fired from Myanmar  amid exchanges of gunfire near the border at Jimbongkhali  in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday morning. The injured were identified as Sohel, 15, son of Sheikh Kamal and Obaidullah, 14, son of Muhammad Yunus of Kanjorpara area of the upazila. The victims were collecting firewood in a forest area near Jimbongkhali BOP when bullet from the Myanmar side hit them around 11:30 am. Obaidullah’s uncle Mohammad Ismail, said locals rushed to the scene after hearing the gunshots and rescued the boys. They were later taken to MSF Hospital in Kutupalong, Ukhiya in critical condition, he said. Sohel was shot in his left leg and hand while Obaidullah sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Lieutenant Colonel Zahirul Islam, commander of the 64th BGB Battalion in Ukhiya, said gunfire was heard from about 500 yards across the Naf river from Myanmar around 11 am and reports of the two injured boys came about one and a half hours later. He added that the boys could not provide clear information about the incident during questioning and the matter is under investigation. Doctors at the hospital described their condition as critical, he said. The border remains under heightened BGB vigilance and the situation is currently normal. Earlier, on January 11, a 12-year-old girl suffered injuries by a stray bullet allegedly fired from Myanmar along the Teknaf border in Cox’s Bazar.