By Hafizur Rahman, August 11, 2025, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar
Around 300 members of the Arakan Army have fled their camps, and one of them has surrendered to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at the Ukhiya border today, August 11, 2025.
The man, identified as Jibon Tonchonga (21), claimed to be a Bangladeshi citizen from Gojbunia village in Naikhongchhari, Bandarban. According to the BGB, he is the son of Chingmong Tonchonga.
Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Jasim Uddin, commanding officer of BGB’s Ukhiya 64 Battalion, said Jibon crossed into Bangladesh from Myanmar around 9 a.m. on Monday through the Balukhali border in Palongkhali Union. He was carrying a foreign-made AK-47 rifle, 52 bullets, and two magazines when he surrendered.
Jibon told the BGB that he had fled from a camp in Maungdaw, Myanmar, because he feared for his safety. He also claimed that around 300 other Arakan Army members had recently escaped from different camps in Myanmar and could enter Bangladesh soon to surrender.
When asked if those fleeing were Bangladeshi citizens, Lt. Col. Jasim Uddin said he could not confirm their identities. He explained that the men were leaving the camps because they could no longer stay there.
The BGB has handed over Jibon to Ukhiya police for legal action and increased intelligence surveillance along the border to monitor the situation.
