United News of Bangladesh

An Indian smuggler has been detained with a foreign-made pistol, two rounds of .22-bore ammunition and 500 Yaba tablets following an exchange of fire between alleged smugglers and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members along the Kumarshail border in Barlekha upazila of Moulvibazar district. The arrest was made during a special operation conducted by Beanibazar Battalion (52 BGB) on Thursday night, according to a press release issued on Friday morning. Acting on a tip-off that a gang of smugglers from India would smuggle a consignment of weapons and drugs into Bangladesh through the Kumarshail border, a special patrol team took position in the area around 10:00pm, the BGB said. When the suspected smugglers arrived, BGB members challenged them. Sensing the presence of the border guards, the smugglers opened fire, prompting BGB members to return fire in self-defence, the force said. The smugglers then attempted to flee the area. BGB members chased them and detained one Indian national. A foreign-made pistol, two rounds of .22-bore ammunition and 500 Yaba tablets were recovered from his possession, the BGB said. It said the detainee admitted during preliminary interrogation to being involved in a cross-border smuggling gang. The border force suspects that the recovered weapons and drugs were brought from India for supply in Bangladesh. BGB intelligence teams are continuing efforts to identify and arrest the other smugglers who fled the scene, it said. Lt Col Md Ataur Rahman Sujan, commanding officer of Beanibazar Battalion, said BGB members are maintaining the highest level of vigilance and professionalism to prevent the smuggling of drugs, weapons and other illegal goods across the border. “Alongside maintaining border security, such operations will continue to protect the country’s young generation from the dangers of drugs,” he said.

The Kushtia Battalion (47 BGB) has intensified public awareness activities along the Kushtia and Meherpur borders to prevent push-ins from India, illegal border crossings and smuggling. The awareness campaign includes miking, discussion meetings and rallies in border areas, according to a press release issued by the battalion on Wednesday. The BGB said border residents have been urged not to cross the border illegally or assist anyone or any group in doing so. Through miking, locals are also being asked to immediately inform the nearest BGB camp or patrol team if they notice any suspicious person or group, anyone hiding their identity, an attempt to push someone into Bangladesh from India or the illegal entry of an Indian national into Bangladesh. Residents have also been advised against unnecessary movement near the border, providing shelter to strangers or suspicious people and involvement in criminal activities, including drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling. The BGB said cooperation from border residents is essential to maintaining security and law and order along the frontier. It urged locals to immediately report any suspicious person, object or activity to the BGB. The battalion said intelligence gathering, surveillance and special operations are continuing to protect the border, prevent push-ins and illegal crossings, and curb drug trafficking and smuggling. These activities will be strengthened further depending on the situation. The BGB warned that legal action would be taken against anyone found directly or indirectly assisting illegal border crossings. Informants will also be rewarded while keeping their identities confidential, it said. Lieutenant Colonel Rashed Kamal Rony, commander of 47 BGB, said awareness meetings and miking have been underway along the Kushtia and Meherpur borders since Tuesday. "Such awareness campaigns are conducted from time to time. The border situation is currently normal," he said. He stressed the need for cooperation between the BGB and local residents to ensure border security and urged people to immediately inform the BGB about any suspicious incident.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized smuggled goods worth around Tk 73 lakh during separate drives along the Sylhet border, officials said Tuesday. Based on intelligence information, members of Sylhet Battalion (48 BGB) conducted separate operations in the areas under Kalairag, Pratappur, Sangram, Damdamia and Sonarhat Border Outposts (BOPs). During the drives, BGB seized a large quantity of Indian medicines, cattle, sarees, chocolates, bidis, betel nuts, vegetables and beer. The estimated seizure value of the goods is Tk 73.17 lakh, BGB said. Sylhet Battalion Commander Lt Col Mohammad Nazmul Haque said BGB has strengthened its operations and intelligence activities along the border to ensure security and prevent smuggling and drug trafficking. Necessary legal action will be taken regarding the seized goods in accordance with the law, he said.

Five platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in five upazilas of Sylhet ahead of the National Citizen Party's (NCP) July marches  and rallies. Sylhet Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Operations) Zakir Hossain told reporters that BGB members have been deployed in 5 upazilas- Osmaninagar, Jaintapur, Kanaighat, Gowainghat and Companiganj. On Thursday, the party will hold a march and rally in Kanaighat at 3pm and another in Osmaninagar at 7pm. On Friday, the programmes will be held in Companiganj at 3pm, Gowainghat at 5pm and Jaintapur at 7pm. Earlier, the Home Ministry asked the district administration to deploy BGB personnel in the five upazilas to maintain law and order. Sylhet Assistant Superintendent of Police (Media) Samrat Talukder said adequate police personnel both in uniform and plainclothes would be deployed in the five upazilas to maintain discipline during the NCP programmes. On Thursday, NCP will hold an exchange of views with members of the families of martyrs in Golapganj at 11am. Central leaders of the party will attend the programme.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Saturday foiled an attempt to push nine women into Bangladesh through Khiyar Mahmudpur border in Birampur upazila of Dinajpur district. A patrol team of BGB's 20 Battalion prevented the group from entering Bangladesh around 4:00 am, said Subedar Tia Alam, camp commander Bhaigor camp under BGB-20 Battalion. After being stopped by BGB, the women attempted to return to the Indian side. But the BSF prevented them from re-entering India, leaving them stranded in the zero line between the two countries, said witnesses. BGB personnel remained deployed on the Bangladesh side of the border, while BSF members took position on the opposite side. The nine women were seen waiting under the open sky.

Members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) prevented India's Border Security Force (BSF) from installing cement boundary posts near the Patgram border in Lalmonirhat, prompting the BSF to retreat, officials said on Tuesday. The incident took place on Monday afternoon in the Poyshottibari border area under Sreerampur Union of Patgram upazila, between Border Pillars 845/1-S and 845/2-S, within the jurisdiction of Poyshottibari Border Outpost (BOP) under the 61 BGB Battalion. Assistant Director of the 61 BGB Battalion Karimul Islam confirmed the incident in a press release issued on Tuesday. According to BGB and local sources, members of the BSF's Panishala-1 Camp of the 98 Battalion, assisted by Indian nationals, removed previously installed bamboo posts in the Panishala area of Harikamata village under Mekhliganj Police Station in Cooch Behar district, about 100 metres inside Indian territory from the zero line. They then began installing new cement posts measuring around three to four feet in height. On receiving the information, a BGB patrol team rushed to the spot and objected to the installation, after which the BSF personnel withdrew from the area. Legally, any construction that either side engages in within 150 metres of either side of the zero line must be preceded by mutual consultations. BGB said it has intensified patrols and remains on maximum alert along the border following the incident.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized 3,960 Indian mobile phone displays worth about Tk 31.7 million during an anti-smuggling drive along the borderin  Brahmanbaria's Bijoynagar upazila early Saturday. A patrol team from Alinagar Border Outpost (BOP) under Sarail Battalion (25 BGB) seized the goods at around 12:15 am, according to a BGB press release. BGB also seized the two bicycles used to transport the goods. The seized goods are being handed over to the Akhaura Customs Office following the necessary legal procedures. Lt Col Jabbar Ahmed, Commanding Officer of Sarail Battalion (25 BGB), said the battalion remains committed to ensuring border security while carrying out anti-smuggling operations with the highest level of professionalism.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) mmebers with support from villagers foiled an attempt by India's Border Security Force (BSF) to push 12 people into Bangladesh through Chakpara border in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj district on Friday night. Members of the BSF's 119 Battalion from the Mallik-Sultanpur border outpost switched off the border floodlights near border pillar No. 183/3-S at around 11pm before preparing to push the 12 individuals into Bangladesh, said Lt Col Tajul Islam Chowdhury, commanding officer of BGB's Mahananda-59 Battalion on Saturday. After receiving the information, a BGB patrol team rushed to the spot and villagers also joined the border guards in maintaining a vigilant presence along the frontier. The 12 individuals were waiting in Muslimpara area about 600 yards inside Indian territory from the zero line. Later the BSF members took the 12 people back to a holding centre in Malda, India around 4:30 am, Lt Col Tajul said. Lt Col Tajul Islam Chowdhury said the BGB remains on maximum alert to prevent any illegal border crossing or push-in attempt. Regular patrols and intelligence surveillance have been strengthened along the border, he said.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized Indian smuggled goods worth about Tk 14.13 crore during separate drives in border areas of Brahmanbaria and Cumilla on Wednesday. According to a BGB press release, Sultanpur Battalion (60 BGB) members carried out the operations in several border areas under Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria district and Brahmanpara upazila of Cumilla district. During the operations, BGB recovered a large quantity of Indian smuggled goods, including basmati rice, sarees, premium soap, cattle, chocolates, chilli seeds, Neurobion Forte tablets, shrimp fry and cannabis worth Tk over 1.41 crore. The recovered goods will be handed over to the concerned customs authorities, while narcotics and other seized items will be dealt with in accordance with the existing laws.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) recovered a single-shot gun, 11 detonators and 11 explosive devices during a joint operation in a bordering area of Zakiganj upazila of Sylhet on Saturday night. The operation was conducted around 10:00pm in the Sonasar area under Barothakuri union, around 1.5 kilometres inside Bangladesh from the zero line, within the jurisdiction of the Biyabail Border Outpost (BOP) of the Zakiganj Battalion BGB (19 BGB). According to a press release issued by Lt Col Md Zubayer Anwar, commanding officer of the BGB battalion, in the early hours of Sunday, the joint forces recovered the gun, detonators and explosive devices abandoned in the Sonasar Brick Field area. No one was arrested during the operation. BGB suspects that the items were smuggled into Bangladesh from across the border. The border force said the operation was part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen border security and prevent the infiltration of drugs, illegal firearms and other contraband through enhanced intelligence surveillance, regular operations and heightened vigilance.