BSF kills 2

Our Correspondent, Kurigram

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot two Bangladeshi men dead and critically injured two cattle traders in two separate incidents near Kurigram and Chapainawabganj borders early yesterday.

The deceased were Ayub Ali, 35, and Amir Islam, 28, sons of late Nur Mohammad of South Algar Char under Raumari upazila in Kurigram. The injured were Abdul Jalil, 28, and Abdul Kader, 32, of Chanshikari under Bholahat upazila in Chapainawabganj.

Our Kurigram correspondent reports: BDR and locals said the two brothers--Ayub Ali and Amir Islam--went to the nearest border from their house around 12:15am. On spotting them, BSF fired at least 11 rounds leaving the two spot dead on no-man's-land. BSF later dragged the body into their territory, they added.

Baliamari BOP Company Commander of BDR sent a protest letter to BSF around 6:00am asking them to return the bodies. A flag meeting between BDR and BSF was held at Algar Char border no-mans area where the police of both countries were present. In the meeting the BDR Company Commander Subedar Jalal Uddin represented Bangladesh and BSF Deputy Commander of 1 Battalion KM Mukherjee represented India.

The BDR Company Commander told The Daily Star that the Indian police returned the bodies to our police in presence of BSF and BDR personnel. The Raumari police handed over the bodies to the victims' younger brother Azizul Haque around 4:00 pm, he added.

Our Chapainawabganj correspondent reports: Two cattle traders--Abdul Jalil and Abdul Kader-- were injured as BSF of Indian Krishnapur camp opened fire around 4:00am yesterday.

The victims were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.

Acting commanding officer Major Aftab Uddin of Naogaon 43 Rifles Battalion said BSF members of Krishnapur camp fired at least 14 rounds on the men as they entered Bangladesh territory with cattle around 4:00am. They sustained bullet wounds and later were rescued and sent to hospital by the locals, he added.

BDR strongly protested the incident.