The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has pushed 153 people into Bangladesh through the Bianibazar border in Sylhet and the Barlekha border in Moulvibazar.
Between late Saturday night and Sunday morning, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained 121 individuals—including women and children—from Shahbazpur Tea Garden and Latu border in Barlekha, and 32 others from a wetland area in Nayagram, Bianibazar.
According to BGB, these individuals were gathered by BSF at the Indian border and then forcibly sent into Bangladesh. All of them are Bangladeshi citizens, with most hailing from Kurigram.
BGB stated that arrangements are being made to hand them over to local police and administrative authorities so they can be reunited with their families.
121 detained in Barlekha
BGB and local sources reported that from around 2:30 AM Saturday night to 8:30 AM Sunday, 121 people—including women and children—were detained during an operation along the Shahbazpur Tea Garden and Latu border areas in Barlekha.
The BSF pushed them through these points into Bangladesh. Most of the individuals are residents of Kurigram.
Lt. Col. Mehedi Hasan, commanding officer of the 52nd BGB Battalion, confirmed to Prothom Alo that, following initial questioning, identities were verified by contacting the families.
While most are from Kurigram, a few are from Cumilla and Khulna. He added that they would be handed over to local police and authorities.
32 detained in Sylhet
In a separate incident, BGB detained 32 people, including 23 women and children, from a wetland in Nayagram area of Bianibazar, Sylhet.
BGB reports that BSF assembled the individuals at the border and pushed them into Bangladesh on Sunday morning. All detainees are reportedly Bangladeshi nationals from Kurigram.
This brings the total number of people pushed back through the Sylhet border to 69 in the last 12 days.
BGB sources stated that personnel from the 52 BGB Battalion’s Nayagram Border Outpost (BOP) conducted the operation early Sunday. The detainees said the BSF brought them into Bangladeshi territory and left them in the wetland.
Lt. Col. Mehedi Hasan further stated that preliminary information confirms their Bangladeshi citizenship. Some of the individuals had been living in India for one to ten years, working in Gujarat and Bihar as brick kiln laborers, domestic helpers, and painters. All of them are originally from Kurigram. They are currently being held in a local school building, where BGB is collecting detailed personal information before handing them over to the Bianibazar police station.
