Desk Report – The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) alongside local residents have successfully foiled attempts by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to push 300 individuals through the Kurigram border and another 20 through the Naogaon border.
Concurrently, the BSF has withdrawn 21 individuals who had been stranded at the zero line along the Panchagarh and Thakurgaon borders.
Push-In Attempt of 300 People Foiled in Kurigram
At the Roumari border in Kurigram, the BSF attempted to push in approximately 300 Indian citizens by bringing them to the border in vehicles. The incident occurred around 12:00 AM on Sunday night near the Bokbandha border area. However, facing a strict and uncompromising stance from BGB personnel and local villagers, the BSF was forced to retreat.
Naib Subedar Wahiduzzaman of the Boraibari Camp, which operates under the BGB 35 Jamalpur Battalion in Roumari, confirmed that BSF brought a large number of Indian citizens to the Bokbandha border at midnight on Sunday in a bid to push them into Bangladesh. Upon sensing the move, the BGB and local residents immediately took up strategic positions to resist the infiltration.
BGB Blocks Infiltration of 20 in Naogaon
Meanwhile, another push-in attempt involving 20 individuals was thwarted by the BGB with the active assistance of local residents at the Porsha border in Naogaon on Sunday night.
According to BGB and local sources, the BSF tried to push Indian nationals into Bangladesh through the Nitpur border from Sunday evening until late into the night. Alert BGB members quickly took a strong stance along the frontier. As news of the infiltration attempt spread, local residents joined forces with the BGB, carrying sticks to defend the border.
BSF Withdraws 10 Stranded at Panchagarh Zero Line
The BSF has withdrawn 10 individuals, including members of two families with women and children, who had been stranded at the zero line of the Panchagarh border. The BGB confirmed that they were taken back on Sunday night. On Monday, Lieutenant Colonel Md. Sirajul Islam, the Commanding Officer of the Nilphamari 56 BGB Battalion, verified the information.
BGB and local sources revealed that the BSF had initially tried to push these 10 individuals through the Barobari border in Panchagarh, under the Nilphamari 56 BGB Battalion, last Thursday night. The BGB, aided by locals, successfully blocked that attempt, leaving the group—consisting of five men, three women, and two children—stranded at the zero line until their withdrawal.
11 People Removed by BSF from Thakurgaon
In Thakurgaon, the BSF withdrew 11 people early Monday morning who had been stranded at the zero line of the Haripur border for two days, according to BGB sources. Earlier on Saturday morning, the BSF made an attempt to push these 11 individuals into Bangladesh via the Mashalgaon border of the upazila. Due to the BGB’s strict vigilance, the BSF’s attempt failed, and the group had been stuck at the zero line since then.
Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Moin Hasan, the Commanding Officer of the 42 BGB, stated that the BGB remains on high alert to prevent any form of illegal infiltration or push-in attempts.
Ansar Members Deployed Across 11 Border Districts
To reinforce border security and prevent transnational crimes, members of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) have now been deployed alongside the BGB in various frontier areas. In a press release issued yesterday, the Bangladesh Ansar and VDP authorities announced that Ansar, VDP, and TDP members have been stationed at the upazila and thana levels across 11 border districts.
The deployed districts include Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Joypurhat, Jashore, Jhenaidah, Satkhira, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Sylhet, Jamalpur, and Khagrachhari.
(Information for this report was provided by our concerned regional correspondents).