Dhaka. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has accused India’s premier paramilitary force ‘Border Security Force’ (BSF) of increasing tension on the international border.
BGP has taken a tough stance due to alleged pushback from the Indian side. BGB spokesperson Colonel Abu Hasnat Mohammad Mahmood Azam said any person pushed into the country illegally through the border would not be accepted.
Colonel Abu Hasnat Mohammad Mahmood Azam, deputy director general of BGB headquarters and spokesperson of the force, said if any of the pushed persons claimed Bangladeshi citizenship, necessary steps would be taken after identity verification through designated checkpoints as per international rules and procedure, Dhaka Tribune reported.
He further said that BGB is ready to deal with any situation on the border. Leave of many personnel was also canceled during Bakrid due to increase in incidents of people being pushed.
He said that recently the BGB had foiled an infiltration attempt on the Jessore border. This incident happened late on Sunday night. An attempt was made to push 10 women, men and children into Bangladesh through a gate built in the barbed wire fence in Benapole border area under Sharsha sub district of Jessore.
On this BGB intervened and foiled this attempt. Force spokesperson Azam said that these people are now stranded on the ‘zero line’ (no man’s land) near Bombetola in Sadipur village near Benapole border.
A BGB spokesperson said a letter was sent to resolve the issue, but the Indian Border Security Force had not responded till Monday evening. He alleged that allegations of Bengali speaking persons being pushed into Bangladesh without following the recognized international process of border management were not new.
Such incidents have increased in the last one month. Jessore 49 BGB battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Ghulam Mohammed Saiful Alam Khan says that 10 persons are still present at the zero line of the India-Bangladesh border.
He alleged that in May, allegations came to light from many areas of the border that Bengali speaking people were being pushed into Bangladesh by labeling them as illegal immigrants or Bangladeshi infiltrators.
He said that it increased from May 24 before Eid-ul-Azha. More than 100 women, men and children were allegedly pushed towards Bangladesh from different border posts in Satkhira.
More than 50 people were detained in Dhola border area and surrounding areas on suspicion of infiltration attempt. Detained 10 people during an alleged attempt to push through the border at Darshana in Chuadanga in late May.
BGB officials said that patrolling and surveillance has been increased in the border areas. Additional personnel have been deployed. Intelligence activities have been intensified. Also border communities have been included in surveillance efforts.
Comments are closed.