নিজস্ব প্রতিবেদক
বাংলাদেশ ও ভারতের মধ্যে চার দিনব্যাপী উপ-মহাপরিচালক পর্যায়ে সীমান্ত সম্মেলন আজ সোমবার কলকাতায় শুরু হচ্ছে। সম্মেলনে বিভিন্ন বিষয় নিয়ে আলোচনা হবে।
গতকাল বিডিআরের এক প্রেস বিজ্ঞপ্তিতে বলা হয়, সম্মেলনে বাংলাদেশ রাইফেলসের (বিডিআর) আলোচ্যসুচির মধ্যে রয়েছে ভারতীয় সীমান্তরক্ষী বাহিনীর (বিএসএফ) গুলিতে দুই বিডিআর সদস্য নিহত, নিরস্ত্র বাংলাদেশিদের ওপর অকারণে বিএসএফ ও ভারতীয় নাগরিকদের গুলিবর্ষণ, বিনা উসকানিতে সীমান্ত এলাকায় বিএসএফের গুলিবর্ষণ, বিএসএফ ও ভারতীয় নাগরিকদের সীমান্ত লঙ্ঘন, অবৈধ পারাপার, বাংলাদেশে অনুপ্রবেশ, ভারত থেকে মাদকদ্রব্যসহ চোরাচালান প্রতিরোধ, বিএসএফ কর্তৃক বাংলাদেশি নাগরিকদের গ্রেপ্তার ও আটক, শুন্যরেখা থেকে ১৫০ গজের মধ্যে ভারতীয় কর্তৃপক্ষের মাটি খনন, বিডিআরের অনুমতি ছাড়াই প্রস্তাবিত সড়কের সংস্কার সাধন, সমন্বিত টহলে বিএসএফের সাড়া না দেওয়া এবং পারস্পরিক সৌহার্দ্য ও সমঝোতা বৃদ্ধির লক্ষ্যে কার্যক্রম গ্রহণ ইত্যাদি।
বিএসএফের আলোচ্যসুচিতে রয়েছে: বাংলাদেশি নাগরিক ও অপরাধীদের ভারতীয় ভুখন্ডে প্রবেশ করে আন্তসীমান্ত অপরাধ করা, গবাদিপশু চুরি, অপহরণ, চা-বাগান উপড়ানো ও স্থানান্তরকরণ, কাঁটাতারের বেড়া লঙ্ঘন, বাংলাদেশ থেকে অবৈধভাবে ভারতে যাওয়া, বিএসএফ ও ভারতীয় নাগরিকদের ওপর বাংলাদেশি দুষ্ককৃতকারীদের হামলা ও উসকানিমূলক কর্মকান্ড, ভারতীয় ভুখন্ডে বাংলাদেশি নাগরিকদের অবৈধ চাষাবাদ, অনধিকার প্রবেশ, গবাদিপশু চরানো, ভারতীয় মুদ্রা চোরাচালান, বিনা উসকানিতে বিএসএফ ও ভারতীয় বেসামরিক নাগরিকদের ওপর বিডিআরের গুলিবর্ষণ, সীমান্তের ১৫০ গজের মধ্যে উন্নয়নমূলক কার্যক্রম গ্রহণে বাধা প্রদান ইত্যাদি।
নিরাপত্তাসংশ্লিষ্ট বিষয়াদির মধ্যে রয়েছে ভারতীয় বিচ্ছিন্নতাবাদী ও সন্ত্রাসীদের সাহায্য ও সমর্থন প্রদান, নদীর বালু খনন বা সংগ্রহ করে আন্তর্জাতিক সীমানার ১৫০ গজের মধ্যে প্রতিরক্ষামূলক কৃত্রিম ঢিবি তৈরি করা, আন্তর্জাতিক সীমানার ১৫০ গজের মধ্যে বেড়া নির্মাণে বাধা প্রদান ইত্যাদি।
বিবিধ বিষয়ের মধ্যে রয়েছে: অনুরোধ সত্ত্বেও বিডিআরের পতাকা বৈঠকে বিএসএফের সাড়া না দেওয়া, পারস্পরিক আস্থা বৃদ্ধির লক্ষ্যে গৃহীত কার্যক্রমসমূহ ইত্যাদি।
বাংলাদেশ রাইফেলসের উপ-মহাপরিচালক ব্রিগেডিয়ার জেনারেল এম এ বারী সম্মেলনে ১২ সদস্যের বাংলাদেশ প্রতিনিধিদলের নেতৃত্ব দেবেন। ১৬ সদস্যবিশিষ্ট ভারতীয় প্রতিনিধিদলের নেতৃত্ব দেবেন নর্থ বেঙ্গল ফ্রন্টিয়ারের মহাপরিদর্শক (আইজি) এসসিভি মুরালিধর।
Monday, 21 July 2008
Sunday, 25 March 2007
BSF kills two Bangladeshis
Star Report
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead two Bangladeshi farmers near the frontier in Chapainawabganj and Kushtia districts on Thursday night.
The victims were identified as Mozammel Haque, 22, son of Abul Hossain of Kironganj village under Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj, and Fazlur Rahman, 36, son of Kiamat Ali of Jamalpur village under Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia.
BDR sources said the Indian border guards of Shukdevpur camp in Malda district opened fire on Mozammel when he went to irrigate his paddy field near main pillar no 177 on Kironganj border at about 9:00pm. He died on the spot, according to the UNB.
Later, the BSF took away the body.
Confirming the incident, Lt Col Akhter Hossain, Commander of 39 Rifles Battalion said they sent a letter to the BSF demanding return of the body Our Kushtia correspondent reported that a BSF patrol team of Raninagar under Karimpur Police Station of Nadia district fired on Fazlur Rahman while he was working on his paddy filed just close to the border pillar no 153/3 at about 9:30pm.
Immediately after the incident, the BSF troops took the body to their camp.
The body was handed over to Bangladesh paramilitary troops through a flag meeting held at Pragpur border at about 10:30pm.
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead two Bangladeshi farmers near the frontier in Chapainawabganj and Kushtia districts on Thursday night.
The victims were identified as Mozammel Haque, 22, son of Abul Hossain of Kironganj village under Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj, and Fazlur Rahman, 36, son of Kiamat Ali of Jamalpur village under Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia.
BDR sources said the Indian border guards of Shukdevpur camp in Malda district opened fire on Mozammel when he went to irrigate his paddy field near main pillar no 177 on Kironganj border at about 9:00pm. He died on the spot, according to the UNB.
Later, the BSF took away the body.
Confirming the incident, Lt Col Akhter Hossain, Commander of 39 Rifles Battalion said they sent a letter to the BSF demanding return of the body Our Kushtia correspondent reported that a BSF patrol team of Raninagar under Karimpur Police Station of Nadia district fired on Fazlur Rahman while he was working on his paddy filed just close to the border pillar no 153/3 at about 9:30pm.
Immediately after the incident, the BSF troops took the body to their camp.
The body was handed over to Bangladesh paramilitary troops through a flag meeting held at Pragpur border at about 10:30pm.
Thursday, 18 January 2007
BDR, BSF trade heavy fire on Joypurhat border
Two Indians killed; BSF kills one Bangladeshi on Dinajpur border
Star Report
A heavy gunfight between Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Border Security Forces (BSF) of India left at least two Indian nationals dead at Hatkhola border of Panchbibi upazila in Joypurhat early yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, the BSF killed a Bangladesh national and picked up another at Enayetpur border of Biral upazila in Dinajpur.
The BDR and BSF also exchanged bullets in Chuadanga and in Satkhira yesterday.
At Hatkhola border, locals said fighting broke out when BSF killed two Indian cattle smugglers around 5:30am after they entered Bangladesh territory with cows, our Bogra correspondent reports.
One of the dead was identified as Subhas, 45, while the other body could not be identified. The BDR held Ranjit Mohonta, an Indian national, when he intruded into Bangladesh territory and jumped into a pond for safety as the BSF was chasing him, UNB reports.
Operations section of the BDR headquarters told The Daily Star last night that locals have claimed that the two killed in the Hathkhola were Indian nationals.
Following the killing, the BSF started firing in the air to create panic among the Bangladeshi villagers and tried to collect the bodies lying 500 metres inside Bangladesh from the border.
They successfully recovered one of the bodies before 29 Battalion BDR men from Hatkhola outpost rushed to the spot and retaliated to BSF's intrusion into Bangladesh territory. The gunfire between BDR and BSF lasted for three hours and the sides exchanged over 600 shots.
Sources said sporadic fire continued into the afternoon until high-ranking officials of BDR and BSF talked over telephone, our Dinajpur correspondent reports.
The body of Subhas is still lying on the no-man's-land between Bangladesh and India.
Sources said a good number of villagers left their homes during the fighting and have not returned fearing further escalation of the situation.
A flag meeting of the two border guards was scheduled to be held at 5:30pm yesterday but it was cancelled as the BSF failed to show up.
BSF killed a Bangladesh national and picked up one at Enayatpur border of Biral upazila in Dinajpur, according to BDR official sources.
Our Dinajpur correspondent reports: The dead was identified as Shahidul Islam, 20, in Chakar-Bhor of Biral upazila in Dinajpur. However, the BDR could not identify the abducted person.
Sources said the BSF troops of 116 Gobrabeel camp of India fired at least eight bullets killing Shahidul on the spot. They took away the body into Indian territory.
The 14 Battalion BDR officials claimed they strongly protested the killing and the abduction to BSF and have requested a flag meeting in this regard.
Meanwhile, BDR headquarters told The Daily Star last night that the BSF started unprovoked firing at Kuchkhali border outpost in Satkhira around 7:30pm yesterday. The BDR retaliated in self-defence.
The firefight was continuing till the filing of this report.
In another incident, the BSF started firing near Baradi border outpost in Chuadanga in the early hours yesterday.
The BDR retaliated which led to a firefight lasting till dawn. The locals said the firing started around 1:25am.
Star Report
A heavy gunfight between Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Border Security Forces (BSF) of India left at least two Indian nationals dead at Hatkhola border of Panchbibi upazila in Joypurhat early yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, the BSF killed a Bangladesh national and picked up another at Enayetpur border of Biral upazila in Dinajpur.
The BDR and BSF also exchanged bullets in Chuadanga and in Satkhira yesterday.
At Hatkhola border, locals said fighting broke out when BSF killed two Indian cattle smugglers around 5:30am after they entered Bangladesh territory with cows, our Bogra correspondent reports.
One of the dead was identified as Subhas, 45, while the other body could not be identified. The BDR held Ranjit Mohonta, an Indian national, when he intruded into Bangladesh territory and jumped into a pond for safety as the BSF was chasing him, UNB reports.
Operations section of the BDR headquarters told The Daily Star last night that locals have claimed that the two killed in the Hathkhola were Indian nationals.
Following the killing, the BSF started firing in the air to create panic among the Bangladeshi villagers and tried to collect the bodies lying 500 metres inside Bangladesh from the border.
They successfully recovered one of the bodies before 29 Battalion BDR men from Hatkhola outpost rushed to the spot and retaliated to BSF's intrusion into Bangladesh territory. The gunfire between BDR and BSF lasted for three hours and the sides exchanged over 600 shots.
Sources said sporadic fire continued into the afternoon until high-ranking officials of BDR and BSF talked over telephone, our Dinajpur correspondent reports.
The body of Subhas is still lying on the no-man's-land between Bangladesh and India.
Sources said a good number of villagers left their homes during the fighting and have not returned fearing further escalation of the situation.
A flag meeting of the two border guards was scheduled to be held at 5:30pm yesterday but it was cancelled as the BSF failed to show up.
BSF killed a Bangladesh national and picked up one at Enayatpur border of Biral upazila in Dinajpur, according to BDR official sources.
Our Dinajpur correspondent reports: The dead was identified as Shahidul Islam, 20, in Chakar-Bhor of Biral upazila in Dinajpur. However, the BDR could not identify the abducted person.
Sources said the BSF troops of 116 Gobrabeel camp of India fired at least eight bullets killing Shahidul on the spot. They took away the body into Indian territory.
The 14 Battalion BDR officials claimed they strongly protested the killing and the abduction to BSF and have requested a flag meeting in this regard.
Meanwhile, BDR headquarters told The Daily Star last night that the BSF started unprovoked firing at Kuchkhali border outpost in Satkhira around 7:30pm yesterday. The BDR retaliated in self-defence.
The firefight was continuing till the filing of this report.
In another incident, the BSF started firing near Baradi border outpost in Chuadanga in the early hours yesterday.
The BDR retaliated which led to a firefight lasting till dawn. The locals said the firing started around 1:25am.
Sunday, 1 October 2006
BSF kills youth in Satkhira
Unb, Satkhira
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) killed a Bangladeshi youth near Hardona border on Thursday night.
Locals said the Indian border guards of Soldana camp ran a speedboat over Amir Hossain, 25, while he was crossing the Ichhamoti River with cattle, leaving him seriously injured.
Bangladeshi fishermen rescued Amir in a critical condition. He was first admitted to Satkhira Sadar Hospital and later shifted to the Khulna 250-bed Hospital where he died yesterday afternoon.
BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) confirmed the incident.
UNB Thakurgaon correspondent reported that the BSF fired gunshots at Haripur frontier on Thursday night, creating panic among the residents at Dangaon and Dahagaon villages.
BDR sources said the BSF troops of Khurka camp fired on Dangaon village from near pillar no 358 at about 9:00pm.
BSF members of Borra camp also fired on Dahagaon village at about 11:00pm on Wednesday night.
The company commander at Haripur BDR camp said the BSF opened fire without any provocation, but BDR did not retaliate.
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) killed a Bangladeshi youth near Hardona border on Thursday night.
Locals said the Indian border guards of Soldana camp ran a speedboat over Amir Hossain, 25, while he was crossing the Ichhamoti River with cattle, leaving him seriously injured.
Bangladeshi fishermen rescued Amir in a critical condition. He was first admitted to Satkhira Sadar Hospital and later shifted to the Khulna 250-bed Hospital where he died yesterday afternoon.
BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) confirmed the incident.
UNB Thakurgaon correspondent reported that the BSF fired gunshots at Haripur frontier on Thursday night, creating panic among the residents at Dangaon and Dahagaon villages.
BDR sources said the BSF troops of Khurka camp fired on Dangaon village from near pillar no 358 at about 9:00pm.
BSF members of Borra camp also fired on Dahagaon village at about 11:00pm on Wednesday night.
The company commander at Haripur BDR camp said the BSF opened fire without any provocation, but BDR did not retaliate.
Sunday, 16 July 2006
BSF kills 1
Unb, Naogaon
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) gunned down a Bangladeshi national on Bamonpara border under Sapahar upazila yesterday.
The victim was identified as Tozammel Haq Kalu, 48, a cattle trader.
Locals said the Indian border guards of Naiorkori outpost opened fire when Kalu along with eight others was going to Bamonpara border from Sapahar in the morning.
Kalu received bullets and died instantly. The BSF men then took away the body.
Immediately after killing, BDR protested the incident and asked its Indian counterpart to return the body. But the BSF personnel of Naiorkuri outpost resorted to unprovoked fire at Bamonpara outpost of BDR in the afternoon, forcing the Bangladesh border guards to retaliate.
BDR and BSF have declared red alert along the 179-km border of the district and mobilised additional troops and artillery.
Local BDR Commander Lt Col Zahid Hasan confirmed the incident. He said they are ready to face any eventuality.
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) gunned down a Bangladeshi national on Bamonpara border under Sapahar upazila yesterday.
The victim was identified as Tozammel Haq Kalu, 48, a cattle trader.
Locals said the Indian border guards of Naiorkori outpost opened fire when Kalu along with eight others was going to Bamonpara border from Sapahar in the morning.
Kalu received bullets and died instantly. The BSF men then took away the body.
Immediately after killing, BDR protested the incident and asked its Indian counterpart to return the body. But the BSF personnel of Naiorkuri outpost resorted to unprovoked fire at Bamonpara outpost of BDR in the afternoon, forcing the Bangladesh border guards to retaliate.
BDR and BSF have declared red alert along the 179-km border of the district and mobilised additional troops and artillery.
Local BDR Commander Lt Col Zahid Hasan confirmed the incident. He said they are ready to face any eventuality.
Saturday, 25 March 2006
BSF kills 1
Bdnews, Chapainawabganj
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) yesterday shot a Bangladeshi dead at Durlavpur union of Shibganj upazila.
The victim was identified as Shahidul (20), son of Abdul Malek. He hails from Charpaka village.
Commander-in-charge of the 6 Rifle Battalion Major Alauddin said Shahidul died as the BSF members of the Thakurbari camp in India opened fire on him when he was working in the field adjacent to pillar no 13 of the border.
Later, BSF members took his body into the Indian territory.
The BDR, however, said the BSF members assured of handing over the body at 10:00am Friday following a protest letter from the BDR.
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) yesterday shot a Bangladeshi dead at Durlavpur union of Shibganj upazila.
The victim was identified as Shahidul (20), son of Abdul Malek. He hails from Charpaka village.
Commander-in-charge of the 6 Rifle Battalion Major Alauddin said Shahidul died as the BSF members of the Thakurbari camp in India opened fire on him when he was working in the field adjacent to pillar no 13 of the border.
Later, BSF members took his body into the Indian territory.
The BDR, however, said the BSF members assured of handing over the body at 10:00am Friday following a protest letter from the BDR.
Monday, 25 April 2005
Border tension flares as BSF kills 2 more
Takes away the bodies; India denies troops build-up along Akhaura border
Staff Correspondent
Only three days into striking an accord to exercise maximum restraint at border, Indian Border Security Force (BSF) without any reported provocation yesterday shot down two Bangladeshi citizens on the no man's land in Moheshpur upazila of Jhenidah district.
The Indian border guards also took away the bodies of Jahidul Islam, 24, son of Delwar Hossain of Jadavpur village, and Aktar Hossain, 30, son of Solaiman of Barabari village of the upazila, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) sources said.
Earlier, on Friday night, a BSF team entered Tarapur village in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria district causing panic among the villagers.
The latest shooting stoked up once again the Indo-Bangladesh border tension brewing since April 16 skirmishes at Akhaura that had simmered down to some extent last Wednesday, following negotiations between Dhaka and New Delhi at diplomatic and other planes. Border guards of both the countries have been blaming each other for opening fire first and thus triggering the shootout that left a 10-year-old Bangladeshi girl and a BSF assistant commandant dead.
With yesterday's killings, 387 Bangladeshis have been killed by BSF in the last five and a half years, according to the statistics compiled by Odhikar, a rights watchdog of Bangladesh. Besides, the Odhikar report said, 1,863 persons have suffered human rights violations by Indian miscreants in the period at north and southwestern borders.
"With continued infiltration into Bangladesh territory and killings, abductions and tortures by BSF personnel, the Indo-Bangla border has turned into a human disaster," remarked Odhikar.
Earlier, on Friday night, a BSF team entered Tarapur village in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria district causing panic among the villagers.
MOHESHPUR KILLING
A BSF team based at Haripur opened fire on the two Bangladeshi villagers early yesterday when they went on the no man's land to send a message to their relatives across the border, sources at 9 BDR Battalion said quoting the victims' families.
They were killed near pillar number 49 on the no man's land about half a kilometre off Gopalpur border observation post (BOP) of BDR, sources said. The bodies had been lying near the border pillar for a long time, they said, adding BSF troops later dragged them into Indian territory.
The incident triggered off widespread panic among the people living in the bordering areas of the southwestern district.
BDR yesterday sent a letter to the BSF high command strongly protesting against the killings of two innocent Bangladeshis without any provocation, UNB quoted the commanding officer of Jessore-based 25 BDR Battalion, Lt Col Motahar Hasan, as saying.
Hasan said the letter also urged BSF to return the bodies and proposed a flag meeting to BSF.
BDR asked the people living in frontier areas to move carefully and not to go near the zero line, he added.
BSF VERSION
Talking to BBC Radio last night BSF officials in Kolkata admitted that two Bangladeshi youths were killed early yesterday in firing by BSF personnel.
According to their narration, a group of five to six Bangladeshis tried to enter North 24 Pargana of West Bengal through Madhupur border at 3:00am. The BSF personnel asked them to retreat, but the miscreants pelted brickbats at the BSF troops. The BSF men then fired four rounds and killed two Bangladeshis.
The BSF officials also admitted to having two bodies at their possession. The bodies would be sent for autopsy and every thing would be done according to the law, a BSF official told BBC.
BSF INTRUDES INTO B'BARIA
UNB reports: Some 25 BSF men intruded 200 yards into Tarapur village in Kasba upazila at about 11:00pm Friday night.
Villagers said apprehending trouble they raised alarming cries and started running in panic. Hearing them, a BDR patrol party came quickly but refrained from firing at the trespassers and allowed them return to their territory.
The villagers termed the BSF action provocative, intended to escalate the border trouble.
An earlier report said BDR-BSF flag meeting at Akhaura border on Thursday night ended in a fiasco. The meeting broke at 8:30pm on information of BSF firing at Singerbeel border that left three people of Nalgoria village injured.
Sources close to the meeting said the BSF side was stubborn, even unwilling to accept Indian press reports that they had trespassed into Bangladesh territory on April 16 triggering the gunfight.
BSF also rejected a BDR proposal for joint inquiry into the April 16 incident, the sources added.
INDIA DENIES EXTRA TROOPS
Meanwhile, the ministry of home affairs of India denied Bangladesh press reports on its deploying additional troops along the Akhaura border.
The additional director general (East) of BSF under the ministry in a letter to the Indian high commission in Dhaka on Friday said, "no additional deployment of BSF or deployment of Army has been made on Indian side as has been reported in Bangladesh Newspapers."
The letter then narrated another shooting at border on Thursday night, "Fact of the case is as under: On 21/04-05 at about 1945 hrs (IST) BOP Bhagalpur (Tripura) observed 7-8 Bangladeshi miscreants attempting to breach fence. The miscreants were challenged and directed to surrender. But they did not pay any heed. Instead they started pelting stones and other missiles including Dah towards BSF party. Sensing imminent danger to their life, the BSF party fired only 3 rds in a professional and restrained manner to thwart attempt of fence breaching. Miscreants fled away to Bangladesh."
"BSF, individually or in group, did not enter into Bangladesh territory. Report 'a group of BSF of India entered 400 yards inside of Bangladesh territory is malicious and mischievous with evil design," the letter claimed at the end.
JYOTI BASU FOR DIALOGUE
Against the backdrop of the recent border skirmishes, veteran CPI (M) leader and former chief minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu said India should immediately initiate dialogue with Dhaka to resolve the bilateral issues.
"We want friendship with Bangladesh, but there are some problems. The UPA government is also concerned," Basu told reporters in Kolkata last Friday responding to the question whether India should start a peace process with Bangladesh similar to that with Pakistan, reported daily the Hindu.
"Reports also say that Indian insurgent groups are taking shelter in that country. So, dialogue should begin immediately to resolve these problems," Basu remarked.
Staff Correspondent
Only three days into striking an accord to exercise maximum restraint at border, Indian Border Security Force (BSF) without any reported provocation yesterday shot down two Bangladeshi citizens on the no man's land in Moheshpur upazila of Jhenidah district.
The Indian border guards also took away the bodies of Jahidul Islam, 24, son of Delwar Hossain of Jadavpur village, and Aktar Hossain, 30, son of Solaiman of Barabari village of the upazila, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) sources said.
Earlier, on Friday night, a BSF team entered Tarapur village in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria district causing panic among the villagers.
The latest shooting stoked up once again the Indo-Bangladesh border tension brewing since April 16 skirmishes at Akhaura that had simmered down to some extent last Wednesday, following negotiations between Dhaka and New Delhi at diplomatic and other planes. Border guards of both the countries have been blaming each other for opening fire first and thus triggering the shootout that left a 10-year-old Bangladeshi girl and a BSF assistant commandant dead.
With yesterday's killings, 387 Bangladeshis have been killed by BSF in the last five and a half years, according to the statistics compiled by Odhikar, a rights watchdog of Bangladesh. Besides, the Odhikar report said, 1,863 persons have suffered human rights violations by Indian miscreants in the period at north and southwestern borders.
"With continued infiltration into Bangladesh territory and killings, abductions and tortures by BSF personnel, the Indo-Bangla border has turned into a human disaster," remarked Odhikar.
Earlier, on Friday night, a BSF team entered Tarapur village in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria district causing panic among the villagers.
MOHESHPUR KILLING
A BSF team based at Haripur opened fire on the two Bangladeshi villagers early yesterday when they went on the no man's land to send a message to their relatives across the border, sources at 9 BDR Battalion said quoting the victims' families.
They were killed near pillar number 49 on the no man's land about half a kilometre off Gopalpur border observation post (BOP) of BDR, sources said. The bodies had been lying near the border pillar for a long time, they said, adding BSF troops later dragged them into Indian territory.
The incident triggered off widespread panic among the people living in the bordering areas of the southwestern district.
BDR yesterday sent a letter to the BSF high command strongly protesting against the killings of two innocent Bangladeshis without any provocation, UNB quoted the commanding officer of Jessore-based 25 BDR Battalion, Lt Col Motahar Hasan, as saying.
Hasan said the letter also urged BSF to return the bodies and proposed a flag meeting to BSF.
BDR asked the people living in frontier areas to move carefully and not to go near the zero line, he added.
BSF VERSION
Talking to BBC Radio last night BSF officials in Kolkata admitted that two Bangladeshi youths were killed early yesterday in firing by BSF personnel.
According to their narration, a group of five to six Bangladeshis tried to enter North 24 Pargana of West Bengal through Madhupur border at 3:00am. The BSF personnel asked them to retreat, but the miscreants pelted brickbats at the BSF troops. The BSF men then fired four rounds and killed two Bangladeshis.
The BSF officials also admitted to having two bodies at their possession. The bodies would be sent for autopsy and every thing would be done according to the law, a BSF official told BBC.
BSF INTRUDES INTO B'BARIA
UNB reports: Some 25 BSF men intruded 200 yards into Tarapur village in Kasba upazila at about 11:00pm Friday night.
Villagers said apprehending trouble they raised alarming cries and started running in panic. Hearing them, a BDR patrol party came quickly but refrained from firing at the trespassers and allowed them return to their territory.
The villagers termed the BSF action provocative, intended to escalate the border trouble.
An earlier report said BDR-BSF flag meeting at Akhaura border on Thursday night ended in a fiasco. The meeting broke at 8:30pm on information of BSF firing at Singerbeel border that left three people of Nalgoria village injured.
Sources close to the meeting said the BSF side was stubborn, even unwilling to accept Indian press reports that they had trespassed into Bangladesh territory on April 16 triggering the gunfight.
BSF also rejected a BDR proposal for joint inquiry into the April 16 incident, the sources added.
INDIA DENIES EXTRA TROOPS
Meanwhile, the ministry of home affairs of India denied Bangladesh press reports on its deploying additional troops along the Akhaura border.
The additional director general (East) of BSF under the ministry in a letter to the Indian high commission in Dhaka on Friday said, "no additional deployment of BSF or deployment of Army has been made on Indian side as has been reported in Bangladesh Newspapers."
The letter then narrated another shooting at border on Thursday night, "Fact of the case is as under: On 21/04-05 at about 1945 hrs (IST) BOP Bhagalpur (Tripura) observed 7-8 Bangladeshi miscreants attempting to breach fence. The miscreants were challenged and directed to surrender. But they did not pay any heed. Instead they started pelting stones and other missiles including Dah towards BSF party. Sensing imminent danger to their life, the BSF party fired only 3 rds in a professional and restrained manner to thwart attempt of fence breaching. Miscreants fled away to Bangladesh."
"BSF, individually or in group, did not enter into Bangladesh territory. Report 'a group of BSF of India entered 400 yards inside of Bangladesh territory is malicious and mischievous with evil design," the letter claimed at the end.
JYOTI BASU FOR DIALOGUE
Against the backdrop of the recent border skirmishes, veteran CPI (M) leader and former chief minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu said India should immediately initiate dialogue with Dhaka to resolve the bilateral issues.
"We want friendship with Bangladesh, but there are some problems. The UPA government is also concerned," Basu told reporters in Kolkata last Friday responding to the question whether India should start a peace process with Bangladesh similar to that with Pakistan, reported daily the Hindu.
"Reports also say that Indian insurgent groups are taking shelter in that country. So, dialogue should begin immediately to resolve these problems," Basu remarked.
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