The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has foiled an alleged attempt by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to push 16 individuals into Bangladesh through the Saharatala border in Meherpur’s Gangni upazila and the Sapahar border in Naogaon on Thursday.
In Meherpur, BGB has foiled an alleged attempt by BSF to push seven individuals into Bangladesh through the Saharatala border in Meherpur’s Gangni upazila.
The incident took place early on Thursday near border pillar 142/5-S along the international border. The group comprises six men and one woman, said Nurul Huda, assistant director of BGB’s 47 Battalion.
BGB personnel, assisted by locals, immediately intervened and prevented the push-in attempt, he added. Later, at around 8:00am, BSF was compelled to take the individuals back into Indian territory.
BGB added that strict vigilance and surveillance are being maintained along the border to prevent such incidents.
In Naogaon BSF has reportedly taken back the nine individuals it had earlier attempted to push into Bangladesh through the Sapahar border in Naogaon, said the BGB.
The nine individuals, comprising three men, three women and three children, are no longer visible near the border area and are believed to have been moved back into Indian territory by the BSF under the cover of darkness, BGB said in a press release.
According to an update issued by the Naogaon BGB Battalion-16 this morning, the group was initially kept about 100 yards inside Indian territory from the zero line after BGB personnel foiled the infiltration attempt around 4:10am on Wednesday. Later, their movement was traced to a location about 150 yards inside the Indian side of the border.
However, BGB patrols subsequently confirmed that the group was no longer present at the location, leading officials to conclude that the BSF had withdrawn them during the night.
Lt Col Mohammad Ariful Islam Masum, commanding officer of Naogaon Battalion (16 BGB), told media that the situation remains under close observation. BGB has maintained round-the-clock surveillance along the border to prevent any further infiltration attempts, he added.
