BSF
Cow smuggler allegedly shot dead by BSF at Rowmari border
A Bangladeshi youth was killed after Indian Border Security Force (BSF) fired on a group of suspected cow smugglers at Rowmari border in the district, local villagers said on Sunday.
The deceased was Faridul Islam, 21, son of Mujibor Rahman from Harindhara village in Rowmari upazila, confirmed his family.
Read: BSF hands over 29 Bangladesh nationals to BGB as goodwill gesture in last 1 year
According to locals, at early hours on Sunday Faridul along with some 30 alleged cow smugglers gathered near pillar-1057-3-ST of Purba kauarchar border in Datbhanga union when some BSF members from the other side of the border fired at them.
Faridul died on the spot and BSF members took his body, said the locals.
Read: Cattle trader shot dead ‘by BSF’ along Naogaon border
Faridul’s brother-in-law Shahid Mowla said he requested Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to bring the body from the BSF and hand over to the family.
“We are talking with BSF in this regard but they didn’t inform us yet when they will hand over the body,” said Subedar Ali Ansar, Company Commander of Jamalpur battalion 35 of Datbhanga BGB camp.
BSF hands over 29 Bangladesh nationals to BGB as goodwill gesture in last 1 year
Over the past one year, a total of 29 Bangladeshi nationals "inadvertently crossed" the international border and all of them were handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh from India as a goodwill gesture.
Troops of Battalions under North Bengal Frontier Border Security Force (BSF) deployed on Bangladesh-India border in West Bengal are maintaining alertness of highest order along the international border to stop smuggling and infiltrations, BSF said on Monday.
They are also making efforts to maintain good relations with Bangladesh, said a media release.
Troops of Battalions under North Bengal Frontier BSF deployed on Bangladesh-India border in West Bengal under the leadership of Ajai Singh, Inspector General of North Bengal Frontier BSF are maintaining alertness on the border in order.
READ: BSF hands over to BGB 2 students held in Hili border
Earlier, BSF handed over two Bangladesh nationals to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) following a flag meeting as a goodwill gesture on Sunday.
Troops of BOP Hili-I, 61 Bn BSF deployed on Bangladesh-India border in Dakshin Dinajpur District of West Bengal apprehended two Bangladeshi nationals - 13-year-old Md Rifat Hassan, son of Md Arman and 14-year-old Md Ruhal Amin, son of Anwar Hussain.
READ: Cattle trader shot dead ‘by BSF’ along Naogaon border
Both of them are from Dinajpur district.
During questioning it was learnt that they "inadvertently crossed" the international border, BSF said in a media release.
BSF hands over to BGB 2 students held in Hili border
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) handed over two Bangladeshi madrasa students, who illegally entered India, to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) through the Hili border area in Dinajpur after holding a flag meeting on Sunday evening.
The students were identified as Arafat Hossain Shanto, 15, and Ruhul Amin, 13, students of Alihat Gazi Aminia Dakhil Madrasa.
Read: Cattle trader shot dead ‘by BSF’ along Naogaon border
Alam Hossain, subedar of BGB's Hili CP camp, said the two students came to the check post area to get Covid vaccine and the BSF detained them when they mistakenly crossed over to the Indian side around 12pm.
On information, BGB contacted BSF to send back the students.
After scrutinizing the documents regarding the students’ identity, BSF called for a flag meeting at 5pm and handed over the students.
Read:Chasing smugglers BSF raids Bangladeshi home in Kurigram border
Later, the students were handed over to Hakimpur police station and then to their family, said Khairul Bashar, officer-in-charge (OC) of Hakimpur police station.
Cattle trader shot dead ‘by BSF’ along Naogaon border
A Bangladeshi cattle trader was shot dead allegedly by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) troops in the Indian side along Hapania border in Sapahar upazila of Naogaon district Friday night.
The deceased was identified as Salah Uddin, 30, son of Alauddin of Krishnasada village of the upazila.
According to locals, Salah Uddin entered India on Friday night with a group of Bangladeshi cattle traders to bring cattle.
When they were returning home BSF troops opened fire, leaving Salah Uddin dead on the spot.
Local people found Salahuddin's body lying 200 yards inside the Indian territory.
READ: Bangladesh-India border: Shringla says small issues can be resolved through BGB-BSF talks
Naogaon 16 BGB Battalion Commander Lt. Colonel Rezaul Kabir said they came to know around 7.30 am that a body was lying 200 yards inside the Indian territory along the Hapania border.
BGB has sent a message to 69 Pannapur BSF camp for holding a flag meeting but BSF has not given any reply yet, he added.
READ: Lalmonirhat: Two Bangladeshi cattle traders killed in BSF firing
Indian police and Pannapur 69 BSF members have taken the body inside India noon, he said.
Deal with border killing as per international law: BNP
BNP standing committee members urged the government to take steps as per international law to stop the unacceptable killing of Bangladeshis along the border by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF).
At a virtual meeting on Monday, the party’s highest policymaking body also worked out a three-day human-chain programme in Dhaka, Sylhet and Lalmonirhat in protest against border killings, said a press release issued by BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
As part of the programmes, he said, their party will hold a human-chain programme at Kaliganj of Lalmonirhat on November 18 and at Kanaighat of Sylhet the following day.
The party will also observe a similar programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the capital on November 20 to register their protests against border killings.
Also read: Border killings unfortunate for Bangladesh; shameful for India: FM
Fakhrul said their meeting strongly protested and expressed anger against the recent killing of Bangladeshis by BSF along the Kaliganj and Kanaighat borders.
“The meeting felt that the incidents of gunning down Bangladeshis along the border by India continue due to the government's knee-jerk foreign policy,” he said.
The BNP leader said their standing committee criticised the statement of the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh on the border killing issue. “The killing of people by opening fire along the border to stop smuggling can’t be accepted under any circumstances. We call upon the government to take action in accordance with international law.”
He said their meeting also condemned widespread violence, killing and rigging and fraudulence in the recently held Union Parishad polls.
“The decision to hold local government elections in a partisan manner is an extreme threat to the country's democracy and socio-political stability at the grassroots level,“ the meeting observed.
Fakhrul said BNP policymakers think the recent local body polls have proved no election can be held in a fair and credible manner under the Awami League government.
They also opined that the electoral system in the country has been destroyed due to the naked interference of the ruling party, the biased role of the administration, and the utter failure of the Election Commission.
The meeting urged the government to step down immediately, paving the way for holding a credible national election in the country under a neutral administration.
Also read: Govt’s logic behind fuel price hike ‘unacceptable': Fakhrul
The BNP standing committee meeting also demanded that the prices of diesel, kerosene and LPG be reduced considering public sufferings.
BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku joined the virtual meeting chaired by party acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
Army teams from Bangladesh and India to start joint cycle rally Monday
A 20-member Indian army team arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday to take part in a joint cycle rally with Bangladesh army team to promote friendship between the two countries.
The November 15-19 cycle rally will kick off at Jashore Cantonment on Monday.
It will run through Jhenaidah, Kushtia,Jibonnagar and Darshana.
Also read: BGB-BSF border conference begins in Guwahati
During the tour the cyclists will stop at historical sites of the 1971 Bangladesh War of Liberation in which Indian army joined with Mukti Bahini. They will speak to valiant freedom fighters to learn about their experience.
The Indian team, led by Colonel Mohit Singh, was welcomed at Benapole by Brigadier General of Jashore Cantonment Hafizur Rahman.
Also read: BSF reaffirms to use non-lethal weapons on border
Bangladesh and Indian army teams held their first joint cycle rally in 2017. It has since then been an annual event.
Chasing smugglers BSF raids Bangladeshi home in Kurigram border
A Bangladeshi family suffered harassment at the hands of Indian border guards who entered their frontier home while chasing drug smugglers, border officials said on Friday.
The incident occurred on Thursday night at the Phulbari border of Uttar Kuthi Chandrakhana in Kurigram Sadar.
Read:Bangladeshi man found dead at Kurigram border, police suspect BSF shooting
Local villager Rafiqul Islam said BSF members forced their entry into the house despite his protest that no smuggler was there. They misbehaved with him and his family members.
However, BSF members told the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at a flag meeting on Friday that they entered Bangladesh by mistake while chasing the smugglers in darkness.
Read:2 Bangladeshi youths killed in BSF firing along Lalmonirhat border
Lalmonirhat 15 BGB Battalion Commander Lt. Col. SM Touhidul Alam PAC said that the situation was brought under control after the flag meeting.
The BSF guards have admitted their wrongdoing, he said.
Bangladeshi man found dead at Kurigram border, police suspect BSF shooting
A Bangladeshi man was found dead early hours of Saturday at Datvanga border in Rowmari upazila of Kurigram and a local police official suspected that he might have been killed by Indian Border Security Force.
The deceased, identified as Sahibor Rahman,40, hailed from Kauniar Char village along the border.
Assistant constable of Kurigram-35 BGB GS branch in Jamalpur, Mukit said around 12 am a BGB patrol team heard three to four rounds of bullet fired near international pillar number 1054. The patrol found none when it reached the spot.
Also read: 2 Bangladeshi youths killed in BSF firing along Lalmonirhat border
Around 1 am locals informed BGB a villager named Sahibor had gone towards the border and he died there. Police at Roumari were informed of the incident, he said.
Until now BSF didn’t confirm any firing at the border, said the BGB constable.
According to locals Sahibor was shot by Dwipchar camp BSF members while he was seen with cows close to the border. Later villagers brought his body to his home.
Datvanga Border Outpost commander Joyen Uddin said we informed the police after a man was reported shot dead at his home.
Also read: BSF handovers to BGB 5 Bangladeshis held in Fulbari border
Rowmari police station’s officer-in-charge, Montasir Billah said they are suspecting Sahibor was shot by BSF members.
A team was sent to recover the body from his home, he said.
Bangladeshi men stray into India, thrashed
India's elite border guards have allegedly thrashed two Bangladeshi men at the entry gate of the Dahagram-Angarpota Tin Bigha Corridor in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat.
Dahagram-Angarpota is a Bangladeshi enclave in India, about 200 metres from the international border. It is linked to mainland Bangladesh through the Tin Bigha Corridor, which is situated in Patgram upazila.
Read: Two Bangladeshis killed by BSF inside Indian territory -
Locals claimed that Joynal Abedin (32) and Al Mamun (40) were caught and tortured by the Border Security Force (BSF) after they "accidentally" strayed into India through the corridor on Monday.
The duo had narrated their ordeal, after their release by the Indian border guards.
Later that day, a flag meeting was held between the BSF and Border Guards Bangladesh after the latter lodged a strong protest over the incident with their Indian counterparts.
Read: Bangladeshi youth killed in BSF firing along Lalmonirhat border
Movement through the Tin Bigha corridor was also halted for two hours that day in the wake of the incident.
At the flag meeting, two company commanders of the Indian border guards also expressed their regret over the incident, Nazrul Islam, company commander of the 51 Border Guards Bangladesh Panbari camp, told UNB.
“After getting information about the incident, we immediately protested and called a flag meeting. At the flag meeting, the BSF expressed its regret over the beating of the two Bangladeshi men and promised that such incidents would not happen again,” he said.
Indian traders suspend trade through Benapole to protest BSF harassment
Indian businessmen suspended trading through Benaple-Petrapole port since Monday morning in protest against alleged harassment of Indian truckers by the country’s Border Security Force.
Thousands of goods-laden truck remained stuck along India’s Petrapole area in a long traffic snarl.
Deputy Director of Benapole port, Mamun Tarafdar said Indian traders complain of harassment of truck drivers by BSF members of Jayantipur camp.
Also read: BGMEA requests India to expedite trade through Bangaon-Benapole land port
The traders have decided against exporting any goods through the port until the harassment ends, he said.
Everyday around 400 to 500 trucks enter Benapole from India mostly carrying industrial raw materials, said the port official.
Deputy Commissioner of Benapole Customs House Mostafizur Rahman said the trading will resume after problems on Indian side are solved.
Also read: 10 Bangladeshis who illegally entered India, return via Benapole