BSF takes away body of Bangladeshi man killed at Lalmonirhat border

The incident occurred at Dhabalguri border in Patgram, BGB says

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has reported the death of a Bangladeshi national in firing by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the Patgram Upazila border in Lalmonirhat. However, the BSF has taken away the body.

The incident took place in the Paniyar Tari area of the Dhabalguri border in Jongra Union of the Upazila early on Wednesday, said Lt Col Syed Fazle Munim, commander of BGB-61 Teesta Battalion.

He said that after the incident, there was a conversation on a mobile phone between the BGB and BSF battalion commanders around 6:30am.

The deceased, 49-year-old Ali Hossain, hails from Dhabalguri (Eastern Paniartari) village.

BGB and locals said that at 2:50am and 4:50am on Wednesday, two rounds of gunfire were heard inside India near the Dhabalguri border pillar under the Teesta Battalion. That was when Ali Hossain was shot.

BSF members took him into their custody in a critical condition and sent him to a hospital in India, where doctors declared him dead, said Lt Col Munim.

He said, "Efforts are under way to verify the details of the incident and collect information. In addition, initiatives have been taken to hold a meeting between the border guards of the two countries at the battalion and sector commander level."

Earlier on Monday morning, a Bangladeshi youth was injured in BSF fire in the Vita area of Gatia near the border of Dhabalsuti BOP in the same Upazila.

Following the incident, locals arrested an Indian national along with two cows, said Patgram Police Station OC Nazmul Haque.

Later that afternoon, after a meeting between the BGB and BSF, the detained Indian was returned, he said.