Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained nine Bangladeshi nationals on Wednesday morning while they were allegedly pushed-in by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) at the Patgram border.
The incident took place in the Mashirbari area of the Burimari border under the jurisdiction of Teesta Battalion-2 (61 BGB). The detainees include four men, three women and two children.
They were identified as Md Mosharraf Hossain, 50, his wife Parvin Akter, 40, and their three sons — Md Rabbi Hossain, 26, Md Nahid Hasan, 24 and Md Sajib Ali, 16. Also among the detainees are Mosharraf’s mother Kohinur Nesa, 70, his daughter-in-law Borsha Akter, 22, and two grandchildren — Md Rehan Hossain (18 months) and Joya Khatun, 3. All hail from Mongolhat village in Lohagara upazila of Narail district.
According to BGB sources, the group had entered India illegally via the Benapole border about 10 years ago and had been living in Sachin, Gujarat, where they worked as street vendors. Members of the 98 BSF Camp allegedly attempted to push them back into Bangladesh territory when BGB patrols intercepted them.
Patgram Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mizanur Rahman said the nine detainees are now in BGB custody and will be handed over to the police later in the day.
“Legal procedures against them are underway,” he added.