Bangladesh has summoned Myanmar's Ambassador to Dhaka, U Kyaw Soe Moe, to formally protest escalating cross-border violence stemming from intense fighting in Myanmar's Rakhine State. The diplomatic move on January 13, 2026, follows a surge in incidents that have spilled over into Bangladeshi territory, including gunfire and landmine explosions that injured civilians near the border in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar district. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep concern, describing the unprovoked actions as violations of international law and threats to good neighborly relations.

The summons was prompted by two recent casualties on the Bangladeshi side. On Sunday, January 11, a 12-year-old girl named Huzaifa Afnan (also referred to as Afnan Ara in some reports) was severely injured by a stray bullet fired from Myanmar's Rakhine State, striking her in the head while she was at home in the Techchi Bridge area of Whykong Union. The child was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where she remains in critical condition in the ICU on life support, with the bullet lodged in her brain. The following day, Monday, January 12, a 28-year-old man lost his leg in a landmine explosion near the Whykong border while collecting firewood or fishing in the Naf River area.

These incidents occur amid heightened clashes in Rakhine State, where Myanmar's junta forces are battling the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic armed group seeking greater autonomy for the Rakhine people. The AA has gained significant territorial control along the border in recent months, including much of the 271-kilometer frontier with Bangladesh. The fighting has involved heavy gunfire, mortar shelling, drone strikes, and bombardments, with spillover effects endangering Bangladeshi border villages. Bangladesh has also detained 53 members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Rohingya militant group, who crossed into its territory amid the chaos, prompting a high alert along the border.

Also Read: US Travel Ban Disrupts Plans of Senegal and Ivory Coast World Cup Supporters

The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry lodged a strong protest, urging Myanmar to take full responsibility, prevent further cross-border firings, and ensure that internal conflicts do not affect Bangladeshi lives and livelihoods. Ambassador Kyaw Soe Moe assured that his government would implement measures to stop such incidents and conveyed sincere sympathy to the injured girl and her family. The episode underscores longstanding tensions between the two neighbors, exacerbated by the Rohingya refugee crisis—over a million Rohingya from Rakhine remain in Bangladesh camps—and the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, which has displaced millions and raised fears of further instability along the porous frontier.

As violence continues in Rakhine, with reports of famine risks and widespread displacement, Bangladesh maintains heightened security measures to protect border communities. The government has called for Myanmar to contain the conflict internally, while locals and officials express growing anxiety over the spillover risks to civilian safety in the region. The diplomatic protest highlights Dhaka's determination to safeguard its sovereignty amid the escalating regional crisis.

Also Read: Maharashtra Civic Polls Campaign Ends Amid High-Stakes BMC Battle