BGB foils attempt to push-in 60 people across 3 border points; individuals on no man’s land

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has allegedly attempted to push a total of 60 people, including women, and children, into Bangladesh through border points in Lalmonirhat, Panchagarh and Naogaon.

However, according to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the attempts were thwarted and the individuals were prevented from entering the country.

As a result, the affected persons are currently stranded along the zero line and on no man’s land between the two countries.

Meanwhile, 28 people who were allegedly pushed towards Bangladesh through the Bangabari border in Chapainawabganj’s Gomastapur upazila remain in no man’s land after the BSF declined to take them back.

A battalion commander-level flag meeting between the BGB and BSF was held on Thursday afternoon, but no resolution had been reached as of Friday afternoon.

Earlier, in a press release issued on Thursday, the BGB said it had foiled 10 separate attempts within the previous 24 hours by the BSF to push people into Bangladesh through various border areas.

According to the border force, at least 90 people were involved in those alleged push-in attempts.

The BGB has alleged that the BSF attempted to push at least 33 people, including women and children, into Bangladesh through four border points in the upazilas of Aditmari, Hatibandha and Patgram in Lalmonirhat district.

The alleged attempts took place between late Thursday night and early Friday morning. The BGB claimed the efforts were prevented through intensified border patrols and with assistance from local residents.

According to the border force, both BGB and BSF personnel remain deployed face-to-face along the affected sections of the frontier. On Friday morning, the individuals were seen waiting with their luggage along the zero line.

In a statement, the Lalmonirhat-15 BGB Battalion said its personnel detected the presence of 12 suspected individuals near Main Pillars 925 and 927/7-S in the Dighaltari and Durgapur border areas of Aditmari upazila. After being warned through loudspeakers, the individuals were reportedly seen moving back towards the Indian side.

The BGB said it had proposed a flag meeting with India’s Raninagar-3 BSF Battalion to determine the identities of those individuals. However, no response had yet been received from the BSF.

In a separate incident, the BGB alleged that the BSF attempted to push 11 people, including women and children, through the Fakirpara Union border area of Hatibandha upazila.

A patrol team from the Teesta-61 BGB Battalion’s Borokhata Company, assisted by local residents, prevented the alleged infiltration during the early hours of Friday. The 11 individuals remained on the zero line at the time of reporting.

Similarly, another 10 people, including women and children, were allegedly brought to the Jhalangi (Pocket) border area of Srirampur Union in Patgram upazila. BGB patrols and local residents reportedly prevented their entry, leaving them stranded along the zero line.

Major Tanvir Ahmed, acting commanding officer of the Teesta-61 BGB Battalion, said attempts by 21 individuals to enter Bangladesh through the Hatibandha and Patgram border sectors had been prevented.

“We are working on the matter and will provide further details later,” he said.

The Lalmonirhat-15 BGB Battalion separately confirmed the attempted entry of 12 individuals through the Aditmari border sector. The Rangpur Sector Headquarters of the BGB also issued a statement confirming the incidents.

The BSF allegedly attempted to push 10 people, including women and children, into Bangladesh through the Borobari-Pradhanpara border area of Panchagarh Sadar upazila.

According to the BGB, strict vigilance prevented the individuals from crossing into Bangladesh. They remained stranded along the zero line from dawn until at least 12:30 pm on Friday.

BGB and BSF personnel were observed stationed on either side of the border throughout the period.

Unable to enter either country, the 10 individuals were left sitting in an agricultural field under the open sky along the frontier. According to BGB sources, the group consists of five men, two women and three children.

A company commander-level flag meeting between the BGB’s Borobari camp and the BSF’s Sakati camp was held between 10:00 am and noon on Friday.

Lieutenant Colonel Sirajul Islam, commanding officer of the Nilphamari-56 BGB Battalion, told Prothom Alo that the BSF had claimed the 10 individuals were Bangladeshi nationals.

“However, their nationality has not yet been verified. Therefore, we are not accepting them. Moreover, pushing people across the border in this manner is not consistent with any established procedure,” he said.

In another incident, the BSF allegedly attempted to push 17 people, including women and children, into Bangladesh through the Hapania border area of Sapahar upazila in Naogaon district.

The incident occurred at around 8:00 am on Friday.

According to the Naogaon Battalion (16 BGB), members of the BSF’s Pannachhara Camp under the 88th Battalion attempted to move the group across the border through Border Pillar 238/MP.

After receiving information, a BGB patrol from the Hapania Border Outpost (BOP) rushed to the scene and prevented the entry.

The 17 individuals are currently positioned along the zero line between the two countries.

The BGB said additional personnel had been deployed to maintain control of the situation and that surveillance had been intensified with support from local residents.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Ariful Islam Masum, commanding officer of the Naogaon Battalion, said patrol activities had been strengthened in the area.

“No one will be allowed to enter Bangladesh illegally. Efforts are under way to push the individuals back into Indian territory,” he said.

Meanwhile, 28 people allegedly pushed towards Bangladesh through the Bangabari border in Gomastapur upazila remain stranded in no man’s land after the BSF refused to take them back.

The group spent Thursday afternoon exposed to heavy rainfall under the open sky and has reportedly been receiving inadequate food supplies.

Acting chairman of Bangabari Union Parishad, Md Saddam Hossain, said that 13 of the 28 individuals were residents of Koyra upazila in Khulna district and had travelled to India approximately two years ago.

He said local Union Parishad representatives from Koyra had already sent copies of their national identity cards.

Speaking with the group from approximately 100 yards away, local representatives learned that food was being supplied by the BSF, although the quantity was insufficient. One elderly woman had reportedly fallen ill.

The group was allegedly pushed towards Bangladesh at around 3:00 am on Wednesday through an area adjacent to Border Pillar 203/6-R by personnel from the Ashrafpur BSF Camp under the 12th Battalion.

The group comprises 12 men, 10 women and six children.

However, due to resistance from the BGB, they were unable to enter Bangladesh and have remained in no man’s land ever since.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Ariful Islam, commanding officer of the BGB’s 16th Battalion, said the group was currently positioned approximately 50 yards inside the Indian side of no man’s land from the zero line.

He said a battalion commander-level flag meeting between the BGB and BSF had taken place on Thursday afternoon.

“During the meeting, the BSF acknowledged that the 28 individuals had been pushed towards the border. BSF officials assured us that they would consult their higher authorities and seek a resolution. However, no further decision has since been communicated to the BGB,” he said.

Following the incident, Rajshahi Sector Commander Colonel Kamal Hossain visited the border area on Thursday afternoon.

During the visit, he said the BGB remained on maximum alert to prevent any attempts to push people across the border into Bangladesh.