The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) attempted to push 60 individuals into Bangladesh across three major border points, but the move was successfully foiled by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)
National Desk Report: The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has tried to push a total of 60 people, including women, men and children, into Bangladesh through the Lalmonirhat, Panchagarh and Naogaon borders. However, they could not enter due to the obstacles of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). As a result, these people are currently staying in the zero line and no man’s land of the border.
Meanwhile, 28 people pushed by the BSF through the Bangabari border in Gomostapur upazila of Chapainawabganj are staying in the zero line (no man’s land) of the border. Although a flag meeting was held at the battalion commander level of BGB and BSF on Thursday afternoon, no solution was reached till Friday afternoon.
Earlier on Thursday, a BGB press release said that the BSF had foiled 10 separate attempts to illegally push people (push-in) across the country’s border areas in the past 24 hours. The BGB had said that at least 90 people were pushed out in these incidents.
Lalmonirhat
The BSF has tried to push at least 33 people, including women, men and children, into Bangladesh through the four borders of Aditmari, Hatibandha and Patgram upazilas of Lalmonirhat. The BGB has claimed to have thwarted these attempts from late Thursday night to early Friday morning.
The BGB said that these infiltration attempts were foiled after patrolling the border area was strengthened with the help of local residents. Currently, the BGB and BSF are in a face-to-face position at the relevant borders. This morning, the individuals were seen standing at the zero line of the border with their luggage.
A press release from the Lalmonirhat-15 BGB Battalion said that BGB members detected the presence of 12 suspicious persons in the area of Main Pillar No. 925 and 927/7-S on the Dighaltari and Durgapur border in Aditmari Upazila. Later, when they were warned through a hand microphone, they were seen moving towards the Indian side.The notification further said that the BGB has called for a flag meeting with the Indian Raninagar-3 BSF Battalion to identify the individuals. However, no response has been received from the BSF in this regard yet.
Meanwhile, the BGB has alleged that the BSF tried to push 11 people, including women and children, into Bangladesh through the Fakirpara Union border in Hatibandha Upazila. Early on Friday morning, a patrol team of the Barakhata Company of Teesta-61 BGB Battalion prevented their infiltration with the help of local residents. As of last news, the 11 people are staying at the zero line.
On the other hand, the BGB said that an attempt was made to send 10 more people, including women and children, to Bangladesh through the Jhalangi (pocket) border of Srirampur union in Patgram upazila. BGB patrol teams and local residents prevented their infiltration early Friday morning. The people concerned in this incident are also staying at the zero line.
Regarding the border situation, Major Tanvir Ahmed, acting commander of Teesta-61 BGB Battalion, said that 21 people have been prevented from infiltrating at Hatibandha and Patgram borders. They are working on the matter. Details will be announced later. Meanwhile, Lalmonirhat-15 BGB Battalion has confirmed the information of 12 people trying to infiltrate at Aditmari border in a separate press release. The Rangpur sector of BGB has also confirmed the fact of BSF’s push-in attempt and preventing it through multiple borders in Lalmonirhat district in a separate press release.
Panchagarh
The BSF tried to push 10 people, including women and children, into Bangladesh through the border of Barabari-Pradhanpara village in Panchagarh Sadar upazila. However, they could not enter due to strict surveillance, said the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The 10 people, who were victims of the push-in attempt, were staying at the zero line of the border from Friday morning to 12:30 pm. At that time, BGB and BSF members were seen stationed on both sides.
The 10 people have been made to sit in the open field of the zero line as no country has allowed them to enter the border. BGB sources said that there are five men, two women and three children among them. In this incident, a flag meeting was held at the company commander level between BGB’s Barabari and BSF’s Sakati camp on the Barabari-Pradhanpara border from 10 am to 12 noon today.
Around 12:15 pm, Lieutenant Colonel Sirajul Islam, commander of the 56th BGB Battalion in Nilphamari, told the daily Satyakotha Pratidin, “A flag meeting was held with the BSF at the company commander level. In the meeting, the BSF claimed that the 10 people were Bangladeshi citizens. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether they are Bangladeshi or not. That is why we are not accepting them. Besides, pushing them away like this is not within the rules.”
BSAF tried to push 17 people, including men, women and children, through the Hapania border area of Sapahar upazila of Naogaon. They could not enter Bangladesh due to the immediate action of BGB. The incident took place at around 8 am today, Friday. According to sources from the Naogaon Battalion (16 BGB) of Border Guard Bangladesh, members of India’s 88 BSF Pannachhara Camp tried to push 17 people into Bangladesh through the 238/MP border pillar on the Hapania border.
After receiving the information, the BGB patrol team of Hapaniya Border Outpost (BOP) reached the spot and foiled their infiltration attempt. Currently, 17 people are staying on the zero line of the border between India and Bangladesh. Additional BGB members have been deployed in the area to control the situation and round-the-clock surveillance has been strengthened with the help of the local people. Lt. Col. Mohammad Ariful Islam Masum, commander of
Naogaon Battalion 16 BGB, said that patrols have been increased in the area after receiving the information. No one, including those 17 people, will be allowed to enter Bangladesh illegally. The push back process to send them to Indian territory is ongoing. The 28 people pushed by the BSF through the Bangabari border in Gomostapur upazila of Chapainawabganj are staying on the zero line of the border (no man’s land). The BSF has not taken them back. They got wet in heavy rain on Thursday afternoon under the open sky and are not getting enough food.
Acting UP Chairman of the local Bangabari Union Md. Saddam Hossain said, 13 of the 28 people live in Koira, Khulna. They went to India two years ago. The UP Chairman and members have sent their national identity cards from Koira. Talking to them from 100 yards away from the zero line of the border, it was learned that the BSF is providing them with food, but it is not sufficient. One of them, an elderly woman, has fallen ill.
Earlier, at around 3 am on Wednesday, the 28 people were pushed towards Bangladesh through the area adjacent to border pillar 203/6-R. Members of the BSF’s 12th battalion’s Ashrafpur BSF camp pushed them. Out of the 28 people, 12 are men, 10 are women and 6 are children. However, they could not enter Bangladesh due to resistance from the BGB. Since then, they have been staying in no man’s land. Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Ariful Islam, commander of the BGB 16th battalion, told the daily Sotto kotha Pratidin that the 28 people are staying in no man’s land on the border. Currently, they are 50 yards inside the Indian part of the no man’s land from the zero line of the border.
Earlier on Thursday afternoon, a flag meeting was held at the battalion commander level of BGB and BSF. In that flag meeting, 28 BSF personnel were present. Admitting to the push-in. BSF officials also assured the BGB that the matter would be resolved by talking to senior officials. But later, no decision was communicated to the BGB from the BSF. After the incident, BGB’s Rajshahi Sector Commander Colonel Kamal Hossain visited the border area on Thursday afternoon. At that time, he said, the BGB is on the highest alert to prevent push-in.
