35 pushed in through three border districts

At least 35 people were pushed into Bangladesh from India through different border points in Dinajpur and Panchagarh in the early hours of yesterday.

In Dinajpur, 15 people, including three men, three women and nine children, were detained near the Achintopur border area in Birampur upazila around 6:30am.

After detaining them, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB-29) members took them to the Achintopur Border Outpost (BOP), reports BSS.

India's Border Security Force (BSF) forcibly pushed them back into Bangladesh through border pillar 295/1-S on Thursday night, said Rafiqul Islam, commandant of Achintopur BOP, quoting the returnees.

"The process of handing over the arrestees to Birampur Police Station for further legal action is underway."

In Panchagarh, seven individuals, including two men, three women, and two children, were detained near the Amarkhana border in Sadar upazila early yesterday.

Members of the Amarkhana BOP detained the individuals near pillar no.743/1-S after they were pushed across the border, Lt Col Sheikh Mohammad Bodruddoza, commanding officer of BGB-56 Battalion in Nilphamari, told our local correspondent over the phone.

Earlier, Indian police detained them from different locations in Mumbai and its adjoining areas and later handed them over to BSF-46 Battalion, who pushed them back into Bangladeshi territory, he said, quoting the returnees.

BGB has handed over the returnees to Panchagarh Sadar police for further action.

In Moulvibazar, 13 people, including women and children, were detained near the New Pallathal border in Barlekha upazila last morning.

"The detainees identified themselves as Rohingyas who had entered India illegally at different times. Their identities are being verified," said Lt Col Ariful Haque Chowdhury, commanding officer of BGB-52 Battalion.

Quoting the detainees, the officials said BSF pushed them back across the border.

[Our correspondent from Thakurgaon and Moulvibazar contributed to this report.]