BSF pushes back 31 through Lalmonirhat, Netrokona

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) pushed 31 Bangladeshi nationals into the country early today through border areas in Lalmonirhat and Netrokona

In Lalmonirhat, 10 nationals were pushed back early today through the Durgrapur border in  Aditmari upazila

According to Lt Col Mehedi Imam, commanding officer of Lalmonirhat 15 BGB Battalion, the group was pushed back around dawn near the border pillar no. 925 at the Chawratari area. Upon receiving a tip-off from locals, a BGB patrol team detained the returnees.

The detained individuals have been identified as Montu Chandra Roy, 60, Archana Rani, 55, Palash Chandra Roy, 30, Mishu Rani, 25, Phul Rani, 35, and Harikanta Roy, 40, along with four children aged below five. All of them are from Borovita village in Kurigram's Phulbari upazila.

Montu told this correspondent that they had moved to India over a decade ago.

"We had been living in Delhi and working at a brick kiln. Four of the children were born there. About a week ago, Delhi police detained us. Along with around 200 others, we were flown to Cooch Behar and later handed over to the BSF," he added.

"I don't know where the rest were taken. The BSF brought the ten of us and pushed us back across the Durgrapur border."

CO Mehedi said, "The detainees have been taken to the camp. After verifying their identities and addresses with the help of police, they will be handed over to their families."

In Netrokona, 21 were pushed back through the Bijoypur border in Durgapur upazila, confirmed Lt Col ASM Kamruzzaman, commander of BGB-31 Battalion. 

Of the 21 individuals, 19 were "third-gender" and 2 were men, the commander added. 

The incident occured around 5:00am today. 

According to Kamruzzaman, a team led by Habildar Abdul Karim detained the 21 individuals about 100 yards inside Bangladeshi territory in the Arapara area near border pillar 1148/4-S under Bijoypur Border Outpost (BOP).

Preliminary information indicated that the detainees were residents of different districts across Bangladesh, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajbari, Patuakhali, Moulvibazar, Jamalpur, Tangail, and Brahmanbaria.

As of 12:30pm, the detainees were being held and interrogated at the district council guesthouse in Durgapur. 

Preparations are underway to hand them over to Durgapur Police Station following the interrogation, the commander added. 

Our correspondents from Lalmonirhat and Netrokona contributed to this report