BSF shoots dead two Bangladeshis along Lalmonirhat border: BGB

Two Bangladeshis on Wednesday were shot to death by Indian Border Security Force in Hatibandha upazila border area of Lalmonirhat district, says Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

The BGB members recovered the bodies of Suruj Mia, 18, son of a certain Osman Ali from Amjhol village in Gotamari union parishad and Suruj Mia, 32, son of a certain Shahjahan Ali from Gotamari union parishad in Hatibandha upazila, from Doikhawa border area in the morning, said Lalmonirhat BGB Battalion commander colonel Touhidul Alam.

Touhidul Alam said BSF members of Paglamari camp in Cooch Behar in the Indian state of West Bengal shot dead the duo within 50 yards of Bangladesh side sometime between 6:00 and 7:00am. The BGB members have heard the sound of gunshots. The duo died on the spot.

The BGB commander also said a commander-level flag meeting was held between the BGB and BSF. Later, they recovered the bodies and sent those to Lalmonirhat sadar hospital morgue for autopsy.

The bodies will be handed over to Hatibandha police station, he added.

BGB suspects the two were killed while smuggling cattle.

Earlier on Tuesday, police and BGB members recovered body of a 25-year-old youth from Haribhasa border area in Panchagarh.

On 12 January this year, Bangladesh foreign minister Abdul Momen raised concern over the killing of Bangladeshi civilians on the border by Indian BSF.

At a news conference organised before the prime minister's visit to the United Arab Emirates, Abdul Momen said India had pledged that not a single person should die on the border. "Unfortunately, people were killed on the border, so we are concerned."