BSF kills two Bangladeshis

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot two Bangladeshi cattle traders dead along Toluigachha border in Satkhira Sadar upazila early yesterday.

The dead are Nazrul Islam, 45, of Pachrakhi village in Sadar upazila and Abdul Khaleq, 40, of Kakdanga village in Kolaroa upazila, family members said.

The incident took place at Nityanandakathi under Swarup Nagar Police Station of India's West Bengal around 4:30am. Later, in a flag meeting, the BSF regretted its firing.

Khaleq along with some other cattle traders went to India on Wednesday evening to bring cattle from there, his wife Shahida Khatun told this correspondent.

“I came to know early today [early yesterday] that my husband and one Nazrul were shot dead by the BSF," she said.

Rabeya Khatun, wife of day labourer Nazrul Islam, echoed the same view.

Wishing not to be named, a cattle trader, who was with the deceased, said some traders were returning home with cattle from India. When they reached near Nityanandakathi bridge, the BSF men of Amudia camp asked them to stop.

As they did not respond to the call, the BSF members opened fire on them, killing the two on the spot.

After talking to Rampada Bhattacharya, a Panchayet member of Swarup Nagar, Bhuttolal Gayeen, chairman of Keragachhi union of Kolaroa, said bodies of the victims were taken to Swarup Nagar Police Station.

Later, the bodies were sent to Bashirhat Badartola Hospital morgue for autopsies, he said, quoting Rampada.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) lodged a strong protest with its Indian counterpart against the incident. The 38 BGB Battalion yesterday morning sent a letter to the BSF camp at Amudia for a flag meeting, said Lt Col Arman Hossain, commander of the battalion.

The Bangladeshis were killed within around 1,000 yards of the Indian territory, he said.

Later, around 2:00pm yesterday, a flag meeting between the BGB and the BSF was held on no-man's land at Toluigachha.

In the meeting, the BSF regretted the incident and said they would be careful to avoid such incidents in future, said sources.

The BSF also informed its Bangladeshi counterpart that the two victims' bodies would soon be sent to Bangladesh through legal process.