BSF returns detained Bangladeshi policemen after border talks

India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has handed over two Bangladeshi police personnel detained near the border in Cumilla’s Brahmanpara upazila following a flag meeting with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

The two officers were handed over to Bangladesh authorities on Friday after the meeting at Narayanpur border in the upazila.

The handover was completed around 1:30pm near Main Pillar No. 2057. The officers were identified as Rohit Dewan (Constable No. 2166), a constable at Brahmanpara Police Station, and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Md Imran Hossain.

According to police, the incident occurred around 10:30pm on Thursday near Border Pillar No. 2059 in the Ashabari border area.

Constable Rohit Dewan crossed into Indian territory while chasing a suspected drug trader during an operation to recover narcotics. He was detained by Indian nationals.

ASI Imran Hossain was also detained when he went to secure Dewan’s release.

Following the incident, the BGB and BSF began communicating to arrange the return of the two police personnel.

As part of that process, representatives of the two forces held a flag meeting at the Narayanpur border on Friday afternoon. The BSF subsequently handed over the two officers to the BGB.

Those attending the meeting included Lieutenant Colonel S M Shariful Islam, ASC, company commander of the Shashidal Border Outpost under the Sultanpur Battalion (60 BGB); Shahin, assistant superintendent of police for the Debidwar Circle; Md Faruk Hossain, officer-in-charge of Brahmanpara Police Station; and Subedar Mohammad Takbir Hossain, commander of the Shashidal Border Outpost.