The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has pushed back at least 105 people, including women and children, through six bordering districts--Comilla, Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Moulvibazar, Khagrachari and Feni.
These incidents took place from Wednesday night to Thursday morning. Later, the BGB immediately arrested these individuals.
In Cumilla, 13 Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children, were reportedly pushed into Bangladesh by BSF through the Golabari border on Thursday.
The incident occurred around 4am, confirmed Lt Col Mir Ali Ejaz, commander of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion-10.
According to him, the group - comprising three men, three women, and seven children - was pushed across the border by the BSF.
A patrol team from BGB-60 detained them shortly after they crossed into Bangladeshi territory.
The individuals are currently in BGB custody and will be handed over to the district administration following verification, the BGB official added.
In Panchagarh, BSF has pushed 21 people, including women and children, into Bangladesh through Panchagarh's Borobari border.
In the early hours of Thursday, under the jurisdiction of Nilphamari 56 BGB Battalion, these individuals were pushed into Bangladesh through area near sub-pillar number 10 of main pillar 757 under Haribhanga union's Borobari border.
According to local sources, the group included six women, two men and thirteen children, all of whom are Bangladeshi nationals. Indian police had detained them from various parts of Gujarat and later flew them to Kolkata. On the night of May 21, they were handed over to India's 93 BSF Battalion at Tiyapara camp. That same night, BSF personnel from Tiyapara camp pushed them into Bangladesh via Borobari border. Upon receiving information, members of Joydharbhanga BGB camp apprehended them at the border.
The detainees are in process of being handed over to local police station and legal proceedings are being initiated by BGB, according to reports.
Lieutenant Colonel Sheikh Mohammad Badrudozza, commander of 56 BGB Battalion in Nilphamari, stated, "BSF sent 21 individuals into Bangladesh illegally through Borobari border. Our patrol team detained them. A flag meeting was held later with BSF at company commander level. Legal actions against the detainees are underway."
Earlier, on the night of May 16, Indian BSF had similarly pushed 11 people, including women and children, into Bangladesh through Nauthari-Pradhanpara border of Kajoldighi Kaliaganj union of Boda upazila in Panchagarh district.
In Lalmonirhat Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained 20 people, including children, after they were illegally pushed in from India along the Patgram border in Lalmonirhat district on Wednesday night. Among them are seven children, 11 women, and two men.
The information was confirmed by Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Patgram Police Station. According to BGB officials, the individuals were pushed in from India into Bangladesh through borders of different districts in the northern region.
BGB officials said that members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Indian police pushed the group into Bangladesh by opening the barbed wire fence in the Gatiarivita area of the upazila around 11:00pm.
Upon receiving the information, BGB personnel detained the individuals and handed them over to the local police station.
However, locals claimed that more than 50 people were pushed in from India in two separate attempts that night. Legal procedures are underway in this regard, said the officer-in-charge of Patgram Police Station.
In Moulvibazar, In Kulaura upazila, seven individuals -- two men, two women, and three children, all from Kurigram district -- were pushed in through the Muroichhara border on Thursday morning.
Lt Col ASM Zakaria, commander of BGB Battalion-46, said, "All seven individuals are Bangladeshi citizens. Their identities have been verified. They will be handed over to Kulaura Police Station for further legal procedures."
OC Md Golam Apsar of Kulaura Police Station confirmed, saying, "Necessary legal action will be taken as per instructions from higher authorities." This was the second such incident at the same border in eight days.
In Feni BSF pushed back 39 individuals, including women and children, through border points in Chhagalnaiya and Fulgazi upazilas on Wednesday night.
Lt Col Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain of BGB-4 Battalion said, "BSF returned 39 Bangladeshi nationals through the borders of Chhagalnaiya and Fulgazi. After verifying documents, 12 were handed over to Fulgazi Police Station and another 12 to Chhagalnaiya Police Station. The remaining 15 are being processed."
Chhagalnaiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nazrul Islam said, "All 12 handed over to the station are from Kurigram district. Measures will be taken as per further instructions."
Fulgazi Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Lutfur Rahman said, "12 were already handed over, and preparations are underway to receive another 15."
A source revealed that the returnees had been living in India, some since 2007, mostly working at brick kilns. Feni Deputy Commissioner Saiful Islam said, "Legal procedures are ongoing for the 39 individuals pushed back by BSF."
