Bangladeshi youth shot dead by BSF along Kasba border

A Bangladeshi youth has been shot and killed by the Border Security Force (BSF) of India along the Kasba border in Brahmanbaria. 

The incident took place at around 7:30 pm on Friday, and the deceased – Al-Amin, 32 – was a resident of Dakshin Putiya village of Bayek union in the upazila. 

According to locals, Al-Amin sustained injuries when the BSF men fired rubber bullets at a group of Bangladeshis near the border in the evening. The BSF men took Al-Amin into their custody, where he died while undergoing treatment around 9:00 pm. His body is still at the BSF camp. 

Billal Hossain, chairman of the Bayek union parishad, confirmed the incident but stated that the exact reason for the shooting remains unclear. They could not contact the victim’s family as the area where they reside is out of the network range. 

However, Dakshin Putiya is known as a crime-prone area often used for smuggling, he said, adding Al-Amin was reportedly involved in sugar smuggling.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Samiul Islam told Prothom Alo that the BSF opened fire at Al-Amin suspecting him to be a smuggler. Later, they took him to their camp and provided treatment, but he succumbed to injuries at night. 

The UNO also said they communicated the issue to the BSF through the BGB. “A flag meeting is supposed to be held between the BGB and the BSF in this regard today, Saturday. The body is supposed to be handed over at the meeting.” 

Multiple residents of the locality claimed that two youths were shot dead in the bordering area on 25 November last year, and another individual on 22 April.