Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has reportedly pushed in 29 individuals, including children, into Bangladesh through the Bagichara and Champachara border areas of Kamolganj upazila and the Rajki border in Juri upazila of Moulvibazar.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained the individuals from various border points on Friday morning.
Naek Subedar Abul Hashem, commander of the Rajki BOP camp in Juri, said: “It has been raining since morning due to the impact of a low-pressure system. Around 8:30am, 10 individuals were detained at the border.”
He added: “Among them were four men, two women and four children. During questioning, they said they were from Kurigram.”
He also said: “The BSF pushed them across the border early in the morning. They will be handed over to the police once their full identities and addresses are verified.”
Quoting the detainees, the BGB commander said the individuals had travelled to India some time ago in search of livelihood and had been working as day labourers in the Indian state of Haryana.
On May 9, Indian police detained them and handed them over to the BSF. At that time, their mobile phones and identification documents were seized, he further said.
He added that appropriate action would be taken after consulting higher authorities.
Meanwhile, another 19 individuals, including children, were detained from two separate border points in Kamolganj upazila.
According to the BGB, they were also pushed into Bangladeshi territory from India. Of them, five were held from the Bagichara border area and 14 from Champachara around 4am.
Lieutenant Colonel ASM Zakaria, commander of 46 BGB in Sreemangal, and Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Hasan, commander of 52 BGB, confirmed the incident.
They said the detainees would be handed over to the relevant police stations after identity verification.
