BSF pushes in 60 more people through 2 border areas

India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has pushed 60 more people—mostly women and children—into Bangladesh through two separate border points, according to security and law enforcement officials. 

The push-in took place on Wednesday morning along the Uttar Shabazpur border in Borolekha upazila of Moulvibazar and the Atgram border in Sylhet’s Zakiganj. 

With this, the total number of people forcibly sent into Bangladesh through five border districts since 4 May has risen to 288. 

The BSF members pushed 44 individuals into Bangladesh through the Borolekha border early Wednesday.

Later, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members detained them. The BGB has confirmed that all the detainees are Bangladeshi citizens.

Uttar Shahbazpur Union Parishad Chairman in Borolekha upazila, Rafiquddin Ahmed told Prothom Alo on Wednesday, “It is assumed that they were pushed in at dawn through a point between the Latu and Pallathal borders. I was informed over phone around 5:52 am that some people were coming along the Pallathal road. Later, the BGB detained them. Among the 44 people, there were 13 men, 18 women, and 13 children.”

The UP chairman mentioned that they have been temporarily housed at a local girls school.

BGB-52 Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Hasan stated that they verified their identity. It has been confirmed that the individuals are Bangladeshi nationals, hailing from Nilphamari and Kurigram districts. All of them will be handed over to the police.

Meanwhile, the BGB has detained another 16 people who were pushed into the country from India through Atgram in Sylhet’s Zakiganj border. Among those detained are two children, eight men, and six women.

BGB sources said members of the Atgram Border Outpost (BOP) under the 19th Battalion of BGB conducted an operation on Wednesday morning in the Atgram area of Zakiganj.

Attempts were made several times to contact BGB’s 19th Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Md. Zubair Anwar for comments but he did not respond to phone calls.

Sylhet’s Kanaighat police station officer-in-charge Abdul Awal confirmed to Prothom Alo that the 16 people detained by BGB had been pushed in from India.

He further said that all the detainees are Bangladeshi citizens and claim to be from Bagerhat and Kurigram districts.

Quoting the BGB, OC Abdul Awal also said that they have been trying to verify the identities of the detainees, who have said in primary quizzing that they entered India illegally at different times for work.