BSF pushes 153 people into Bangladesh through Sylhet border

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) pushed 153 people into Bangladesh through the borders of Sylhet, Beanibazar and Moulvibazar, according to officials from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

They were pushed into Bangladesh from Saturday night until 8am on Sunday, said Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Hasan, commanding officer of BGB-52.

BGB members detained all of them after they crossed into Bangladeshi territory.

According to BGB sources, of the total number, 79 people were pushed in through Shahbazpur border in Barlekha upazila of Moulvibazar district, 42 through Pallathal border and 32 through Nayagram border in Beanibazar upazila of Sylhet.

“We increased surveillance along the border from 2:30am. We observed groups of people being pushed in from the Indian side through dense forests and wetland paths. We took immediate action and took all of them into custody,” said the BGB official.

Later, they were handed over to the respective police stations in the presence of local administration officials.

Md Ashrafuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Beanibazar police station, said: “The BGB handed over 32 people, including women and children, after they were detained upon entering through the Nayagram border.”

“We are still in the process of verifying their identities,” he added.

Earlier, on Saturday, the BSF pushed 21 people, including women and children, through the Lobhachhara border in Kanaighat upazila of Sylhet.

On May 14, sixteen more people were pushed in via the Atgram border in the same upazila.