Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has detained nine Bangladeshi nationals, including four children, while they were allegedly attempting to enter India illegally through the Sreebordi border in Sherpur.
A patrol team from the Karnajhora Border Outpost (BOP) apprehended the group in the Hariyakona border area on Thursday afternoon. They were later handed over to Sribardi Police Station at around 9pm.
The detainees were identified as Apon Jol Das, 30, of Bhola; Noyontara, 25, Bijoy Hori Jol Das, 46, and Sulokkhi, 42, of Noakhali; Bina Das, 31, of Lakshmipur; and four children travelling with them.
According to BGB and police, the group had allegedly reached an agreement with members of a local human trafficking network identified as Sumon Mia, Saju, Ajibor and Kalu Mia to facilitate their illegal entry into India in exchange for Tk40,000 per person.
As part of the plan, they travelled from Dhaka to Sribardi on Wednesday night and took shelter in the forested Hariyakona hilly area, around 150 yards inside border pillar No 1095.
BGB said the group’s initial attempt to cross the border on Wednesday night failed because of heightened border surveillance. They allegedly planned to make another attempt on Thursday night, but a Karnajhora BOP patrol team detained them during a raid conducted on the basis of intelligence information.
Mohammad Nurul Alam, Officer-in-Charge of Sribardi Police Station, confirmed that the detainees included four children and said the matter was being verified.
He said legal action is being prepared under the Passport Act and the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act.
