December 28, 2016
A Tatmadaw Yay vessel entered Bangladesh territory and fired at Bangladeshi fishermen on Tuesday afternoon, according to our correspondent. The vessel fired after Bangladeshi fishermen started to flee when they were asked to surrender. The shootings did not manage to stop the fishermen who fled towards the direction of St. Martin’s Island.
The incident took place east of the Chera Dweep, which is approximately 8 km away from Myanmar territory.
Earlier, many Bangladeshi fishermen were abducted by Tatmadaw Yay and Hlun Htein forces since the beginning of the crackdown which has killed hundreds of Rohingya Muslims.
Rohingya Muslims are seen as immigrants from Bangladesh who have illegally ‘occupied’ parts of Arakan state.
Anti Muslim sentiment, which is strong in Myanmar often translates into anti Bangladesh feelings. Social media in the country is rife with hostility towards Bangladesh and many regularly call for an attack on the neighbouring country which is the only Muslim majority nation in the area.
Critics allege the Myanmar security forces and Buddhist nationalists have fuelled widespread anti Muslim and anti Bangladesh sentiments for their political leverage.
Hostile sentiments increased after an international court ruled in favour of that country in 2012 regarding a territorial dispute in the Bay of Bengal. The incident took place amid rising anti Muslim propaganda in the country.
Meanwhile, reports in the Bangladesh media say six of their citizens have been injured in a shooting by the Myanmar Navy.
Some sources say there has been a gradual build up of Tatmadaw personal over the last few days around the Sitar Pawrika area in Maungdaw South leading to tensions among the local populace. 
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