India’s Border Security Force (BSF) reportedly pushed 80 Indian nationals into Bangladesh on Wednesday, labelling them as Bangladeshis.
According to BGB sources, BSF pushed 27 people into Bangladesh through the Shantipur border and another 23 through Achalong Para of Taindong Union.
Besides, 30 people were pushed in through the Ruposhi Para border of Panchhari Upazila.
Khagrachhari's acting Deputy Commissioner Nazmun Ara Sultana said 80 Indian nationals, including women and children, have crossed the border through the Matiranga and Panchhari upazilas as of the latest reports.
Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman said any push-ins should be done in a formal channel and Bangladesh's position is to welcome only its citizens with sufficient proof.
"This needs to be done in a formal channel," he said when a journalist wanted to know his comments referring to media reports.
Talking to correspondents, locals said the people who were pushed in are residents of Gujarat state in India, and Muslims.
They are reportedly able to speak both Gujarati and Bengali.
It was learned that they were brought from Gujarat to Tripura state by two separate flights. Later, they were pushed into Bangladesh by BSF members.
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The illegal entry is believed to have occurred via remote forest routes along the Raisyabari and Natun Bazar border areas of Udaipur district in Tripura during the early hours of Wednesday.
Those detained said that members of the 114 BSF Elkepara Camp escorted them across the Shantipur border.
Before crossing, they were blindfolded and forced to walk for nearly an hour inside Bangladeshi territory, they alleged.
Sources from BGB Battalion-3 in Panchhari said security has been reinforced along the border.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel are maintaining constant intelligence surveillance and working to keep the law-and-order situation under control.
However, no official statement has yet been issued by the BGB.
The upazila administrations are handling their food and security needs and the authorities remain vigilant, the acting DC added.