Landmines Transform Lives Along Bangladesh-Myanmar Border

Victims of Conflict

In the dense forests along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, villagers are losing limbs to landmines, casualties of a conflict that is not of their making. Ali Hossain, a 40-year-old local, suffered an explosion while gathering firewood, an incident that has changed his life forever. "I entered the jungle with other villagers. Suddenly, there was an explosion, and my leg was blown off," he recounted. "I screamed as loud as I could." His neighbors rushed to stop the bleeding, gathering him and transporting him to the hospital.

A Foreign War in Our Backyard

In Ashartoli, a small settlement in the Bandarban district, the weapons of a foreign war have turned forests, farms, and trails into killing fields. The eastern border of Bangladesh with Myanmar, stretching 271 kilometers, is crossed daily by villagers carrying out their routine activities.

Myanmar is considered the most dangerous country in the world for landmine victims, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which has documented a "massive" and increasing use of these weapons. In 2024, the organization reported over 2,000 victims in Myanmar, a figure that has doubled from the previous year.

Community Impact

Bangladesh blames the Myanmar army and rival armed groups for planting these mines. Bangladeshi police report that at least 28 people were injured by mines in 2025. In November, a Bangladeshi border guard was killed by a mine that severed both of his legs.

The Bangladesh Border Guard has installed warning signs and is conducting demining operations; however, villagers claim that these measures offer little protection, given the necessity to enter forests laced with explosives, thus paying the price for this war.