BSF shoots 5 Bangladeshis in Rajshahi

Indian Border Security Force opened fire on Bangladeshis leaving at least five wounded at Char Khanpur frontier in Rajshahi today blaming them of reaping grass from their territory.

The Border Guards of Bangladesh, in a press release today, said the five injured were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

They are Sujon Mia, 22, Md Sohel, 22, Md Rabiul, 25, Dulal Mia, 40, and Suruj Mia, 20, of the area under Paba upazila, the press handout said.

Talking to The Daily Star, Lt Col Ferdous Mahmud, and director of BGB Battalion-1 in Rajshahi said, the local unit of BGB protested the ‘unnecessary’ firing and BGB is going to send a formal note of protest against the incident.

However, the BSF explained to BGB that they opened fire as some Bangladeshis attacked them after the BSF men protested reaping grass from India.

The incident took place around 10:30am when a group of four Bangladeshis were reaping grass in Indian territory and a patrol team of 117 Battalion BSF from Kalabagan outpost chased them into Bangladesh.

Witnessing the chase by BSF, the villagers from the frontier village of Char Khanpur became angry and chased back the BSF men equipped with local weapons.