BSF pushes 20 Bangladeshis across border in Thakurgaon, Dinajpur

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained 20 individuals early today after they were pushed into the country by India's Border Security Force (BSF) through borders in Thakurgaon's Pirganj upazila and Dinajpur's Birol upazila.

In Thakurgaon, seven people – two men, two women and three children – were detained near pillar number 338/5-S around 1:30am after crossing the border, said Lt Col Abdullah Al Moin Hasan, commanding officer of BGB-42 Battalion in Dinajpur.

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Speaking to The Daily Star over the phone, he said the individuals had been detained earlier by Indian police from various locations in Haryana and were later handed over to the BSF, who pushed them into Bangladeshi territory.

Meanwhile, 13 others, including two men, two women and nine children, were detained around 4:30am along the Enayetpur border in Dinajpur's Birol upazila near pillar number 322/6-S.

They were intercepted by members of the Enayetpur Border outpost, the CO added.

These individuals were reportedly detained in Delhi before being handed over to the BSF for deportation, he said.

According to BGB officials, all 20 detainees are residents of Kurigram district and had entered India illegally at various times.

"The process is underway to hand them over to their families," the commanding officer said.