BSF shoots 2 Bangladeshis in Thakurgaon

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) members shot two Bangladeshis along Baliadangi frontier in Thakurgaon in the early hours of today, 24 hours into a top-level flag meeting between the two countries to restrain firing on unarmed civilians on the border.

The victims were identified as Chainu Mia, 30, son of Dudu Mia and Md Idris Ali, 25, son of Kalizuddin from Baliadangi upazila, our Thakurgaon correspondent reports.

BSF members of Sonamoti camp shot the two near Ratnai border around 4:20am while they were trespassing into India, said Maj Touhid Bin Ishaque, acting commanding officer of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) battalion 30 in Thakurgaon.

BGB said to have strongly protested the firing and sent a letter to its Indian counterpart seeking a company commander-level flag meeting.

The firing took place within 24 hours of a sector commander-level flag meeting between local BGB and BSF where both sides agreed to restrain fire on unarmed people.

The meeting was held in Ranisangkoil upazila of the district in participation with Thakurgaon BGB Col Md Akramul Haque leading the BGB panel and Deputy Inspector General Brigadier (retd) AS Panwar the BSF delegation.

Both sides agreed to maintain peace on the border, show highest restraint at special circumstances and solve border related problems through discussions.