Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is in talks with the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to secure the return of two Bangladesh police personnel held at the Shashidal border in Cumilla’s Brahmanpara upazila.
The two policemen, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Imran Hossain and Constable Rohit Dewan, are safe and in good health, and the BGB expects to bring them back soon, said Lieutenant Colonel Md Mahbub Murshed Rahman, director of operations at BGB headquarters.
“Official communication has already taken place with us, and we expect to get back our two police personnel very soon. They are in good health and have not faced any problems,” he said at a briefing on contemporary issues at BGB headquarters on Friday morning.
Murshed Rahman said the incident took place along the Shashidal border under Brahmanpara Police Station on Thursday night. The hilly and forested terrain in the area can create challenging circumstances for personnel performing their duties along the border, he added.
The BGB is extending all-out cooperation to facilitate the return of the two policemen, and the process is expected to be completed soon, he said.
Responding to a question from journalists, Murshed Rahman said protecting the border and maintaining its integrity were the BGB’s primary responsibilities. Such incidents were not new, and the force was prepared to handle them.
He added that the BGB continued to take necessary steps to maintain professional relations with its counterpart in the neighbouring country.
The force would continue to safeguard border stability and security while addressing challenges in accordance with international law and protecting Bangladesh’s national interests, he said.
According to police, the two police members were travelling in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw to conduct a drug recovery operation near border pillar No. 2059 in the Ashabari area of Shashidal Union around 10:30pm on Thursday.
Asked about threats in Myanmar’s Rakhine State reportedly ordering Rohingya people to leave their villages within a specified timeframe, Murshed Rahman declined to elaborate.
However, he said the BGB is prepared to deal with all types of threats and developments along Bangladesh’s southeastern border.
Necessary preparations are in place, and the force would coordinate with other security agencies to respond effectively to any situation and protect the country’s sovereignty and national interests, he added.
Regarding Durga Puja security, he said the BGB would deploy personnel at 2,727 puja mandaps across the country from 16 to 22 October.
Alongside their regular duties in border areas, BGB members will conduct patrols, carry out intelligence surveillance and remain ready to provide rapid assistance to ensure the security of the festival venues.
Around 21 base camps have been established to secure puja mandaps in remote and hard-to-reach areas, he said.
Murshed Rahman also urged the public to remain alert to rumours, misinformation and communal incitement during the festival.
He called on people to verify sensitive information before sharing it and report suspicious activities to the nearest BGB camp, local administration or police.
Over 2.60 crore yaba tablets seized in 10 months
The BGB seized more than 2.60 crore yaba tablets, 40kg of crystal methamphetamine, 12kg of heroin and cocaine, 16,000kg of cannabis, 24,000 bottles of Phensedyl and around 100,000 bottles of foreign liquor between 1 January and 15 October this year, Murshed Rahman said.
During the same period, anti-arms trafficking operations led to the recovery of 78 pistols, seven rifles, one submachine gun (SMG), seven grenades, 12 mines and more than 3,200 rounds of ammunition.
Around 1,957 people suspected of involvement in drug trafficking, illegal arms smuggling and other cross-border smuggling activities were detained and handed over to the police for legal action, he said.
The briefing also covered the BGB’s ongoing efforts to prevent drug and illegal arms trafficking, combat human trafficking and stop illegal entry across the border.
