India pushes 67 more into Bangladesh

At least 67 people were pushed into Bangladesh from India, allegedly by the Border Security Force, through the Kurigram and Meherpur borders yesterday, according to Border Guard Bangladesh.

Of them, 30 were confirmed as Bangladeshi nationals. The identities of the others remain unverified till the filing of this report at 8:00pm.

In Kurigram, BGB detained 23 individuals pushed in from India around 4:00am through the Kedar, Baburhat, and Sonahat areas of Bhurungamari upazila. They are currently in custody pending identity verification, said Lt Col Md Mahbubul Haque of BGB Battalion-22.

Elsewhere in the district, BSF allegedly tried to push 14 more people across the Baraibari border in Rowmari upazila at 4:30am. BGB intercepted the attempt, and the group was later brought to the BGB camp after BSF ignored requests for a flag meeting, said Lt Col Hasanur Rahman of Battalion-35.

In Meherpur's Mujibnagar upazila, 30 Bangladeshi nationals -- including seven men, eight women and 15 children from various villages in Kurigram -- were detained after being pushed in through the Anandabash border, said BGB and police officials.

According to BGB headquarters, 902 individuals have been pushed into the country from India since May 7, including 78 through the Sundarbans' Mandarbaria area.

(Our Correspondents from Lalmonirhat and Benapole contributed the report.)