India’s Border Security Force (BSF) pushed-in 153 people, including women and children, through Bianibazar of Sylhet and Barlekha in Moulvibazar points of Bangladesh-India border in the small hours of Sunday.
The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members detained 121 from Shahbazpur tea estate and Latu border areas in Barlekha and 32 from a beel (swamp) at Nayagram in Bianibazar.
The BSF assembled them and pushed them into Bangladesh, the BGB said, adding that all of them are citizens of Bangladesh and most of them are from Kurigram.
They will be handed over to the police, the BGB said.
In Barlekha, BGB conducted drives at Shahbazpur tea estate and Latu border areas between 2:30 am and 8:30 am on Sunday and detained 121 people, including women and children, BGB and local people said.
Lt. Col. Mehedi Hasan, commander of 52 BGB battalion, told Prothom Alo that through initial quizzing they ascertained the identities of the detained. Most of them were from Kurigram while some were from Cumilla and Khulna.
They will be handed over to the local administration and the police.
In Barlekha, the border guard members nabbed 32 people, including 23 women and children, from a swamp at Nayagram.
All of them are from Kurigram district, BGB said.
With this, the number of people pushed in through Sylhet border rises to 69 in the last 12 days.
Lt. Col. Mehedi Hasan said some of the detained were staying in India for the last 10 years. They used to work at brick kilns in Gujarat and Bihar and as painters and household workers.