Tension in Chapainawabganj border again, 3 Bangladeshis injured

Three Bangladeshis have reportedly been injured as tensions flared up again at the Chauka border in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj today, Saturday.  

From afternoon today, citizens of both Bangladesh and India gathered in the border area and staged protests in the border area between Chauka and Kiranganj Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) post in Binodpur union of the upazila this afternoon.  Three Bangladeshis were reportedly injured in an attack by Indian citizens.

Tensions have been continuing for several days over erection of border fence in India’s Sukhdebpur by Border Security Force (BSF) of India. A battalion commander level flag meeting also took place between BGB and BSF at that time.

The residents of border area said they had gone to cut wheat in Bangladesh land along the zero line this afternoon. At that time Indian citizens came and allegedly cut down some mango trees inside Bangladesh, which led to the confrontations between the two sides.  Indian citizens attacked Bangaldeshis by local weapons and hurled stone, which left several Bangladeshis injured.

Md Badsha, member of Binodpur union parishad, told Prothom Alo that the tensions ensued centering cutting wheat in the border area. The clash took place as Indians entered in the Bangladesh territory, leaving three injured.

Mesbahul Haque, a youth from Namotola area under Binodpur union, was injured in the attack by Indian citizens. Mesbah said he and another named Md Faruk were injured in attack by local weapons while Md Roni was injured by stone hurled by Indians.

Locals said BGB 59 battalion’s captain lieutenant colonel Golam Kibira is in the border area.

In a briefing in the afternoon, Golam Kibria said the tension flared up over cutting of mango trees inside Bangladesh border near 177 pillar of the border.  BGB quickly rushed to the spot as citizens from both the countries near the zero line gathered over cutting mango trees.

Later at around 4:10pm BGB and BSF held a commander level flag meeting.  BSF apologised over the incident and assured to take action over cutting of trees by Indian citizens.

BGB commander also said BSF exploded sound grenades defying international laws to disperse the crowd.

He said the BGB will remain deployed to ensure no one can cross the zero line and diffuse the tension. Citizens of Bangladesh are with the BGB men.

Asked about the injured, lieutenant colonel Golam Kibria said the BGB do not have any statistics of injured people and BSF also did not share any such statistics.

He said BGB director general has been informed about BSF’s use of sound grenade violating the international laws.