71 more pushed in through four border districts

At least 71 more people were detained by BGB yesterday after they were pushed into Bangladesh allegedly by India's Border Security Force (BSF) through various border points in Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Khagrachhari, and Lalmonirhat.

Fifty-one of them were identified as Bangladeshi nationals, according to BGB and local administration officials.

They could not confirm the identities of the remaining 20 till the filing of this report last night.

In Moulvibazar, 19 Bangladeshis were detained near Champa Para border and Baghichhara border area in Kamalganj upazila in the morning.

Lt Col ASM Zakaria, commander of BGB-46 Battalion, said, "The detainees are residents of northern regions. The BSF reportedly brought them to near the borders and pushed them back into our territory."

The individuals were apprehended around 7:30am, while attempting to enter Bangladesh. Of them, 14 were detained near Champa Para border and five near Baghichhara border, he said.

Besides, BGB detained 10 others, including women and children, near the border in Juri upazila in the morning.

In primary interrogation, the detainees said they were residents of Kurigram and that they were pushed into Bangladesh by BSF, said Nayek Subedar Abul Hashem, commander of the Rajki Border Outpost (BOP).

In Habiganj, 22 people, including women and children, were pushed in through the Kalenga border in Chunarughat upazila.

They were pushed in at any time between Thursday night and early yesterday morning, said BGB-55 Commander Lt Col Md Tanzilur Rahman.

On information, a BGB patrol team detained them last morning. Primary investigation revealed that all of them were Bangladeshi citizens, said the commander.

Legal proceedings are underway in this regard.

In Khagrachhari, BGB detained 14 people near the border in Matiranga upazila last morning.

Quoting the detainees, Matiranga Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Monjur Alam said they were reportedly pushed in by BSF.

Locals first saw them roaming near the border area in the morning and then informed the local administration and BGB. Later, they were detained by BGB, said the Deputy Commissioner ABM Iftekharul Islam Khandker.

The process of verifying their identities was in the process till filing the report last night, said the DC.

With this, at least 1,201 people have been pushed into Bangladesh from India through border points in 17 districts and the Sundarbans's Mandarbaria area since May 7, according to a statement from BGB headquarters.

In Lalmonirhat, six Indian nationals, including women and children, were detained near the Burimari border early yesterday, said BGB.

Primary interrogation reveals that they are residents of Assam state and that they were pushed into Bangladesh by BSF, said Subedar Abul Kashem, commander of the BGB's Burimari camp under BGB-61 Battalion in Rangpur.

In an attempt to send them back, a flag meeting was held between BGB and BSF at the zero line near the Burimari–Changrabandha border.

"In the meeting, we asked BSF officials to take the detainees back. In response, the BSF assured us that they will verify the identities of the detainees and will take the necessary legal steps," said Subedar Abul Kashem.

The detainees were kept under BGB custody till last evening, he said.

[Our correspondents from Moulvibazar, Khagrachhari, and Lalmonirhat contributed to the report.]