BGB trooper dies from gunshot wound in Kurigram; police suspect suicide

A member of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has died from gunfire at a BGB camp in Kurigram's Phulbari Upazila in what police suspect is a case of suicide.

The incident occurred around 1:30am on Friday at the Gangarhat Border Outpost (BOP), according to Phulbari Police Station chief (OC) Mahmud Hasan Naim.

The dead trooper has been identified as Md Nasim Uddin, 23. He was serving at the Gangarhat BOP camp under the Lalmonirhat 15 BGB Battalion. His service number was 114604.

According to police, Nasim had put on his uniform and collected his weapon around 1:30am to go on a border patrol. A short while later, fellow BGB members heard a gunshot from inside the camp perimeter, to the east of the barracks. When they rushed to the spot, they found him lying on the ground, bleeding.

He was rushed to the Phulbari Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead.

When informed, police recovered the body and sent it to the Kurigram morgue for a post-mortem around 10:30am on Friday.

OC Mahmud said they believe Nasim shot himself in the chest with his own rifle. However, the circumstances behind the incident are still unclear and an investigation is under way.

A case of unnatural death has been filed regarding the incident, but no complaints were received from any party, the OC added.

Lalmonirhat BGB Battalion Commander Lt Col Mehedi Imam said, “Initially, it appears to be a case of suicide. A detailed investigation is being conducted. However, the trooper was mentally unwell.”