Minor Killed in Ghumdhum Border Mortar Shell Explosion

A 12-year-old boy lost his life on Tuesday following the detonation of an abandoned mortar shell in the Ghumdhum border region of Naikhongchhari Upazila, Bandarban. The fatal incident occurred at approximately 15:30 BST in the Baishfari area. Authorities confirmed that the victim’s family had migrated to Baishfari from neighbouring Myanmar approximately five to six years ago to escape regional instability.

Incident Details and Background

According to law enforcement authorities and local residents, Kinghla Tanchangya and his wife, residents of the Baishfari Para neighbourhood, departed for their shifting cultivation (Jhum) fields on Tuesday morning. They were accompanied by their 12-year-old son, Satanaing Tanchangya.

While the parents were constructing a temporary farm hut (Jhum ghar) inside a cultivation field—located approximately 100 yards within Bangladeshi territory from border pillar number 9—the boy discovered an abandoned mortar shell. The unexploded ordnance detonated whilst the child was playing with it. The force of the explosion killed the minor instantly, causing severe dismemberment. Local residents subsequently gathered the remains from the site and brought them back to the Baishfari Para area. Following notification of the incident, personnel from the Baishfari police investigation centre arrived to recover the body.

Victim’s Family History

Police records indicate that the family originally resided in Medai village, under the jurisdiction of Dekibunia Police Station in the Maungdaw Township of Myanmar. Following the outbreak of violent conflict in their home region, the family crossed the international border into Bangladesh. They initially sought refuge at the residence of a relative in Baishfari Para and have remained there since. Administratively, Baishfari Para is situated within Ward No. 3 of the Ghumdhum Union under Naikhongchhari Upazila.

Recent Incidents on the Ghumdhum Border

The border regions of Naikhongchhari have experienced several casualties resulting from stray munitions and landmines linked to the ongoing internal conflict in Myanmar. The table below details recent recorded casualties and disappearances in the sector:

According to local community members, the two Bangladeshi nationals from Bhalukiapara, who vanished whilst working in a local plantation, have not been located to date.

Administrative and Legal Response

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Naikhongchhari Police Station, Mozammel Haque, confirmed the fatality and verified that the remains of the deceased minor had been successfully recovered by law enforcement personnel. The officer stated that the body would undergo a post-mortem examination as part of the standard legal procedure, after which further statutory legal actions would be implemented.