BSF pushes in 31 people thru Sylhet border

India's Border Security Force (BSF) pushed 17 Bangladeshi nationals into the Minatila area in Jaintiapur upazila of Sylhet early yesterday, according to Border Guard Bangladesh.

A patrol team of the Minatila Border Outpost under the Sylhet BGB Battalion detained them approximately 200 yards inside Bangladesh territory.

Lt Col Mohammad Nazmul Haque, commanding officer of Sylhet BGB-48 Battalion, said the group consists of five men, five women, and seven children.

The detainees are residents of Kurigram district. They will be handed over to the Jaintiapur Police Station. Legal procedures are underway, he said.

Earlier on Thursday, BSF pushed 14 Rohingyas and 17 Bangladeshis into Bangladesh through the Jaintiapur border in Sylhet, said BGB.

Around 7:45pm on Thursday, a patrol team from Lalakhal Border Outpost under BGB's Zakiganj Battalion detained 14 Rohingyas in the Bagchhara area of Jaintiapur upazila.

Lt Col Mohammad Zubayer Anwar, commanding officer of Zakiganj BGB-19 Battalion, said the group was found about 50 metres inside Bangladeshi territory.

During questioning, the Rohingya detainees said they were originally from Myanmar and had been living in refugee camps in Teknaf and Ukhiya before fleeing to India 5-6 years ago.

Of the 14 Rohingyas, four are men, four women, and six children. After identifying them, they were handed over to Jaintiapur Police Station.

The BGB official said they will be handed over to the police concerned to be transferred to the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.