The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) last night returned the body of a Bangladeshi national, three days after he was shot dead by its personnel along Panchagarh's Bhitargarh border.

The body of Al Amin, 36, was handed over following a company commander-level flag meeting between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and BSF at Banglabandha Zero Point in Tetulia upazila of Panchagarh.

After the meeting, a team from Jalpaiguri Kotwali police in Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India, formally handed over the body to Tetulia police.

Later, Tetulia police handed it over to the victim's family, said Enayet Kabir, officer-in-charge of Tetulia Police Station.

Al Amin, a resident of Jinnatpara village in Panchagarh Sadar upazila, was shot dead by BSF early Saturday along the Bhitargarh border while allegedly bringing cattle from India. Others accompanying him managed to escape unhurt.

BSF took the body immediately after the shooting and later handed it over to Indian police.

Following the incident, a battalion commander-level flag meeting and a sector commander-level courtesy meeting between BGB and BSF were held at the Bhitargarh and Banglabandha borders in Panchagarh.

In meetings at both levels, BGB officials strongly protested the killing, saying that the actions of the Indian border guards violated human rights.

"Shooting at an unarmed civilian is completely unacceptable and unwarranted," they said.

In response, BSF claimed that Al Amin's killing was unintentional, asserting that their personnel opened fire in self-defense when they came under attack.

They expressed deep regret and assured the BGB delegation that all necessary measures would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future