BGB Firing: Probe bodies complete field visit

Two separate probe committees, formed by National Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to investigate the BGB firing incident in Thakurgaon ended their two-day visit to the district on Tuesday.

On February 12, members of Border Guard Bangladesh opened fire on dwellers of Baharampur village in Haripur upazila of the district following a scuffle that left three dead and at least 18 injured.

National Human Rights Commission has formed a three-member committee, led by former cabinet secretary and all-time member of NHRC Nazrul Islam, to investigate the incident while the home ministry has formed a five-member committee, headed by Md Mohosin Chowdhury, joint secretary of Public Safety Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The committees visited houses of the three dead, several injured victims and talked with locals and witnesses on Monday.

On Tuesday, they talked with the officials of civil service, police and BGB at the conference room of Thakurgaon circuit house.

On the same afternoon, the probe committees visited Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital, BGB Hospital and M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital to talk with injured victims who were admitted to different hospitals.

Mohosin Chowdhury, head of home ministry's probe committee, said, “We are still at an initial stage of the investigation. The government has provided us with 15-day time-frame to submit the report and we are trying to do so as soon as possible.”

On Sunday, three separate complaints were lodged against seven BGB men for allegedly killing the three villagers and injuring at least 18.

On February 14, BGB also filed two cases against some 275 villagers of Baharampur village, including two dead.