Bangladesh steps up security as Arakan Army takes border
Bangladesh authorities in Teknaf, 48 miles (78 km) south of Cox’s Bazar, stepped up security along its border with Burma on the Naf River on Monday. The Arakan Army (AA) took full control of Burma’s 168 mile (271 km) long border with Bangladesh after it seized Maungdaw Township on Sunday. It seized neighboring Buthidaung Township in May.
“Due to ongoing conflicts and the tense situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, [the] Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Coast Guard personnel have intensified patrols along the Naf River to prevent illegal crossings,” Sheikh Ehsan Uddin, the chief executive officer of Teknaf, told the Dhaka Tribune. He also warned fishermen not to venture into Burma’s territorial waters. The AA has detained Bangladeshi fishermen and the Burma Navy has fired upon fishing boats near the coastal border of Thailand.
Syed Istiaque Murshed, the acting commanding officer at Teknaf Battalion of the BGB said that Bangladesh is doing its best to stop the “Rohingya influx and illegal drug trafficking.” He added that it was also carrying out “domination patrol” over the Naf River. The AA stated on Sunday that it shut down access to the Naf River over security concerns. Maungdaw is separated from Teknaf, Bangladesh by the Naf River.
Myanmar telecom companies cut mobile data
People in Burma are experiencing significant reductions in mobile data on their smartphones as the price across telecom operators in the country has increased since the end of November. A data package costing 1,000 kyat ($3 USD) from any telecoms operator could generally last one week, according to mobile data users. But, now it seems to only last them three days depending on the amount of usage.
“An Ooredoo [mobile data package] costing 15,000 kyat previously offered 30 GB of data. But, now that same data package provides only 17 GB. This is so bad. [Ooredoo] also now restricts access to YouTube and TikTok,” an Ooredoo user in Burma told DVB. Ooredoo and other telecom companies in Burma have made no official announcements regarding mobile data rates.
Since the 2021 coup, all telecom companies have come under direct military control. Myel is a joint venture between it and Viettel, owned by Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense. Atom, formerly Telenor, was purchased by a military-linked company. Ooredoo is a privately-owned company from Qatar. Freedom House stated that internet freedom in Burma is on par with China as the worst in the world this year.
DVB Peacock Film Festival 2024 announces winners
The DVB Peacock Film Festival announced the winners of the four categories and 30 films which were screened from Dec. 8-10. The DVB Short Doc Contest Award winner was “Towards Light.” The International Jury awarded “The Heart of Yangon” with the Best Choice Award. Its Mention Award went to “Steps Forward” and “Waaah.” The CJ Shorts and Best User-Generated Content awards went to “Again & Again.” The News Feature Award went to “How Yangon Protesters Are Being Watched.”
“In the midst of this coup, everyone’s struggling with their own hardships. Since we’re rappers, we just decided to film it. But without money, we had to go and apply for the DVB Short Docs Contest,” said Eunt Maw Oo, the director of the DVB Short Docs Contest 2024 award-winning short film “Towards Light.”
More than 500 people attended the first-ever DVB Peacock Film Festival at the Chiang Mai University Communication Innovation Center. Filmmaking and podcasting workshops hosted by industry professionals were provided for free to participants. The three-day festival concluded with recognition of Burma’s documentary filmmakers. Stay tuned to DVB Peacock Film Festival on Facebook and Instagram for more updates.
News by Region
ARAKAN—The AA stated on Tuesday that more than 450 military personnel were killed during its attack on the No. 5 Border Guard Police battalion in Maungdaw Township on Sunday. The Commander of No. 15 Military Operations Command Brigadier General Thurein Tun was apprehended, along with members of Rohingya armed groups, as prisoners of war.
More than 700 military personnel were deployed inside the battalion which housed 20 bunkers and 30 buildings. Fighting between the AA and pro-regime forces in Maungdaw has been ongoing since June. Twelve townships in Arakan and one in southern Chinland have come under AA control since it launched its most recent offensive against the military on Nov. 13, 2023. It continues fighting in Ann, Taungup and Gwa townships.
CHINLAND—Four family members were killed and nine civilians were injured by airstrikes carried out by the Burma Air Force on Chonkyon village in the Chinland capital’s Hakha Township on Tuesday. More than four homes were reportedly destroyed. There was no fighting between the military and Chin resistance groups in Chonkyon, according to local media.
“The youngest victim was a 13-year-old who was killed after two rounds of airstrikes in the early morning,” a Hakha resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity. Ten of thousands of residents from Hakha, as well as Thantlang and Falam townships – where fighting is ongoing – have been displaced due to retaliatory airstrikes and artillery shelling by the military.
SAGAING—The bodies of four men killed by the military were discovered by residents of Thabyetha village in Shwebo Township, located 6o miles (96 km) northeast of the Sagaing Region capital Monywa, on Monday. More than 120 homes were reportedly destroyed by arson.
“We recovered four bodies of men in their thirties. They are not from [Thabyetha],” a People’s Defense Force (PDF) spokesperson told DVB. Shwebo residents claimed that the pro-military pyusawhtee militia stole valuables and food during the arson attack on Dec. 9.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,470 kyat)
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