Bangladeshi 'tortured to death by BSF'

A Bangladeshi cattle trader was tortured to death by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Burimari border in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat early yesterday, locals have alleged.

The deceased was identified as Manjurul Alam, 22, son of Asadul Islam at Fakirerdanga village in the upazila, police said.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Patgram Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sajjad Hossain told The Daily Star quoting cattle traders in the border area that BSF personnel of Changrabandha camp in India's Cooch Behar district caught Manjurul after he had entered Indian territory illegally to bring cattle from there.

After the BSF men left Manjurul on no-man's land, local people rescued him but he died while being taken to Patgram Upazila Health Complex, the OC said.

Victim's father Asadul Islam said, his son went to India to bring Indian cattle in the early hours of yesterday.

“My son went to India accompanied by five other cattle traders during the night. All of them returned unhurt but my son returned as a dead body,” he said, adding, “Two cattle traders called me and informed me that my son was caught by BSF.”

Islam said he would lodge a murder case after the postmortem.

Nayek Subedar Wahedul Islam, camp commander of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at Burimari, told the correspondent that they were yet to confirm whether Manjurul was tortured to death by the BSF.

“We have sent a message to BSF asking about the incident this morning, and in reply, BSF said they were not aware of such an incident,” he said.

The camp commander said they were trying to find out the cause behind Alam's death.