BGB took strong stance against drugs to save society
Director General of Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam yesterday said the paramilitary force had to take a strong stance against drug dealers, to save society from influx of narcotics.
He was talking to journalists on BGB Battalion-1 premises in Rajshahi, while attending the 224th founding anniversary of the battalion as chief guest.
Asked about death of the Cumilla videographer Prashant Kumar Das, the BGB chief said, “If he was not a drug trader, how did BGB members find yaba pills on him? He was captured with yaba and then he was killed in a gunfight ensued with drug peddlers during an anti-narcotics drive.”
“Each of us BGB members are sons of this soil. We don’t expect death of any of our countrymen. But you know smuggling of yaba at the borders in Teknaf, Mayanmar, Cumilla and Rajshahi sprang up so high that we had to take on a strong position to save the society.”
Like any other law enforcement agency, BGB was also following the government’s zero tolerance policy against the drug dealers, he said.
Shafeenul said BGB has already enhanced security measures along the borders with India, as they suspect a rise in drug smuggling ahead of Eid-ul-Azha while cattle traders bring cattle from the neighbouring country.
He said BGB has planned to bring some frontier areas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Dinajpur under digital surveillance system within one year. They have already installed such equipment in Jashore and Teknaf, he said.
Replying to questions about border killings by Indian Border Security Force (BSF), the BGB chief said the BSF chief promised him in a recent meeting that they would investigate each incident of border killings and tortures of Bangladeshi people.
“In borders, a situation arises when border security forces needed to open fire. We insisted BSF men to avoid such deaths,” he said.
Commanding officer of Battalion-1 Lt Col Tajul Islam said the battalion was established as Ramgarh Local Battalion in June 1795.
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