Bangladeshi returns home dead after 11 months in BSF custody

A Bangladeshi man detained by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) while cutting grass near the border has returned home as a body nearly 11 months later, officials said.

The body of victim, Azizur Rahman, 50, a resident of Ranishankail upazila in Thakurgaon, was handed over to Bangladeshi authorities on Friday afternoon (April 3) through the Banglabandha border in Panchagarh.

According to family members and police, Azizur was detained on May 14, 2025, by members of the BSF’s 184 Battalion.

His family alleged that he was physically abused following his detention. He was later treated at a hospital in India and subsequently sent to Siliguri district jail.

After around 10 and a half months in custody, he fell ill and died on March 22 while undergoing treatment at Siliguri Sadar Hospital.

The body was formally handed over in the presence of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), BSF, and Indian police, along with representatives from the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission.

Local officials and family members reiterated allegations of abuse during detention, claiming his deteriorating health was linked to injuries sustained earlier.

Police confirmed the incident, and the body was taken to his ancestral home for burial.