5 kids abducted by BSF yet to be freed

Star National Desk

Five children, abducted by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) from Haripur border in Thakurgaon three days ago, were not released as of yesterday while Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) on Saturday sent back five Indian nationals who had been pushed into Bangladesh territory by BSF the same day.

Earlier Commanding Officer of 2, Rifles Battalion Lt Col Ershad Hossain told The Daily star that at a flag meeting on Friday evening, BSF officials assured releasing the five detained Bangladeshi children on completion of legal procedure within a day or two, reports our Thakurgaon correspondent.

At the flag meeting held on Haripur Border, BSF officials alleged that the Bangladeshi youth and children were cutting barbed wire on the border.

BSF abducted picked them up from Haripur Border under Haripur upazila in Thakurgaon district on Friday morning.

The victims are Pania, 18, son of Denial Islam, Mohammad Salauddin, 18, son of Abdul Kuddush, Mintu Miah, 5, son of late Nazrul Islam, Abdur Rahim, 8, son of Atauddin and Shetabul Islam, 10, son of Joynal Abedin of bordering Minapur village.

The children set nets in the low-lying areas near pillar No 354 on Haripur border on Thursday evening for fishing, BDR and local sources said. On Friday morning the five children went to the spot to bring fishes when BSF members from Moldakhanda BSF camp entered 'no man's land' and picked the five Bangladeshi children up.

Our Chapainawabganj Correspondent adds: BDR sent back five people of a Hindi speaking Indian family through the Rokonpur border of Gomostapur upazila in Chapainawabganj on Saturday night.

The Indians -- Elias Ali, 35, his wife Momtaj Begum, 31, two sons Fayez Ali, 14 and Intaj Ali, 5, and daughter Shahina, 2, had been pushed into Bangladesh by the BSF through Bangabari border of Gomostapur upazila at around 7:00am on Saturday.

They spoke Hindi and did not understand Bangla, BDR sources said, adding that earlier Delhi police arrested them from Nizamuddin Kaligate area.

Lt Col Fazlur Rahman, commanding officer of 43 Naogaon Rifles Battalion, confirmed the incident of sending back the five Indian nationals.