At least three Bangladeshis were killed in a landmine explosion on the Myanmar side of the zero line along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border at Ghumdhum union under Naikhyangchari upazila of Bandarban district on Sunday.

The Bangladeshis became victims of a landmine explosion when they went to collect firewood along the zero line of the border at about 12:00 noon, said Border Guard Bangladesh-34 Battalion commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Khairul Alam in Cox’s Bazar.

‘When BGB members reached the spot, they found that the victims were already dead. All three deceased belonged to the Chakma community,’ Khairul told New Age.

The deceased were Leyara Chakma, 41, son of Sunyong Chakma, Aung Kye Mong, 50, son of Neomong Chakma, and Ching Kye Mong, 40, son of Aimong Chakma, all residents of Bhalukiapara village under  Ghumdhum union, according to the BGB.

Khairul said that the bordering areas were now at risk of landmine explosion.

‘The BGB has been regularly conducting awareness programmes to discourage people from going along the zero line,’ he added.

People, including Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, have continued losing limbs in mine explosions since December 2024 following the takeover of southern Rakhine State in Myanmar by the armed rebel group Arakan Army.

Myanmar and Bangladesh share a 271-kilometre border.

BGB officials said that the Arakan Army currently controlled almost the entire border area on the Myanmar side and that Myanmar’s Border Guard Police no longer had any presence there.