BSF pushes back 17 bangladeshis through two Panchagarh border points

Seventeen people, including men and women, were pushed into Bangladesh by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) through two different points along the Panchagarh border. They were detained by members of the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) on Thursday morning (July 31).

According to BGB sources, seven men were pushed into Bangladesh through the Bhajanpur border in Tetulia upazila. They were later detained by members of the Panchagarh-18 BGB battalion. On the same morning, the BSF pushed in another 10 people—including one man and nine women—through the Ghagra border of Panchagarh Sadar upazila. These individuals were detained by members of the Nilphamari-56 BGB battalion.

The BGB and police stated that the detained Bangladeshis had been residing in India for a long time. The Indian police detained them and later sent them back to the border via the BSF.

According to the BGB, late on Wednesday night (July 30), the BSF pushed seven men into Bangladesh through the Sukani BOP border in Tetulia. When they sought shelter in the Bhajanpur area, local residents helped the BGB detain them. Similarly, 10 others were pushed in through the Ghagra border of Haribhasa union in Panchagarh Sadar and were also taken into custody by the BGB.

The detained individuals are from the districts of Habiganj, Sylhet, Faridpur, Khagrachhari, Gopalganj, Cox’s Bazar, Barishal, Jashore, Narsingdi, and Naogaon.

Lieutenant Colonel Monirul Islam, commander of the Panchagarh-18 BGB battalion, and Major Kazi Asif Ahmad, Assistant Commander (2IC) of the Nilphamari-56 BGB battalion, told media that the detainees have been handed over to the local police station. Their identities are being verified, and efforts are underway to contact their families.