With Covid-19 cases on the rise over recent weeks in Arakan State, health officials say there are plans to expand virus testing of travellers. 

Trade has declined this month due to poor quality products and mismatched trade prices, which have made it difficult to make cross-border deals with Bangladesh, according to businesspeople.

A training officer for the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Myanmar in Sittwe has been arrested under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code, according to the Arakan State Police Commander’s Office.

Two men in Gwa Township, Arakan State, were arrested on February 19, and a lawsuit has been brought against them under Section 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law after they were accused of providing money to the anti-regime People’s Defence Force (PDF).

Squatters living near the Sittwe-Pyitawthar-Yaychanpyin rail route, which is undergoing repairs ahead of a planned resumption of train services, will be removed from the area, the Arakan State military government’s transportation minister told DMG, describing the targeted population’s dwellings as illegally built. 

Renewed fighting took place between the Myanmar military and the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) in Demoso, Kayah State, on Wednesday evening, destroying some houses and injuring many locals, according to local sources.

A female teacher from Bago Region’s namesake town was arrested on accusations of providing financial support to the anti-regime People’s Defence Force (PDF), with the woman’s house later sealed by authorities.

Summer paddy cultivation in Arakan State has dropped significantly in recent years due to rising commodity prices and myriad other factors, according to the Arakan Farmers’ Union.

Residents of Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu Township are demanding a transparent explanation and details on a local power plant project, fearing that the project’s blocking of Kyaukphyu Creek between Ohntaw and Gone Chain villages will damage their farmlands and the larger environment.

Ousted Arakan State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu and former Arakan State Municipal Affairs Minister U Min Aung, who are accused of violating election law, will be arraigned on March 3 to decide whether to prosecute them, according to sources close to the court. 

Trains will run again on the Pyitawthar-Yaychanpyin railway section in Sittwe Township, Arakan State, according to the state regime council’s transportation minister.

All 13 prosecution witnesses have been examined in the case of Ko Sein Chit and Ko Ye Naing Oo from Arakan State’s Thandwe Township, who have been charged for alleged ties to the anti-regime People’s Defence Force (PDF), according to their lawyer.

Crowd-drawing events such as football matches, zat pwe theatrical performances, Dhamma talks and concerts continue to be held in Arakan State despite a recent rise in Covid-19 infections and health officials urging caution and adherence to virus preventive measures. 

A final appeal in the case of philanthropist Ko Aung Win Naing from Arakan State’s Taungup town, who has been charged on suspicion of having ties to the Arakan Army (AA), will be heard at the next court hearing, according to a lawyer involved. 

The Myanmar military this month has reportedly confiscated the properties of several celebrities and political activists who have supported anti-regime movements, according to local sources.

A special court in Yangon Region’s North Okkalapa Township on Tuesday sentenced two authors to prison on incitement charges, according to sources close to the court.

More than 5,000 residents of Tanintharyi Region have fled their homes in recent days due to clashes between the Myanmar military and joint opposition forces including local People Defence Forces (PDFs) and Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 4 troops.

Internally displaced people (IDPs) in Arakan State townships such as Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Mrauk-U, and Rathedaung face difficulties with accommodation due to unseasonal rain because their houses’ roofs and walls are decaying, those IDPs told DMG.

The United League of Arakan (ULA) issued a statement on February 20 urging the public to adhere to Covid-19 preventative basics as the virus’s Omicron variant has been detected in several Arakan State townships over recent days.