Bangladesh, India return three after farmer’s detention sparks retaliatory arrests

A border standoff in Meherpur has ended with Bangladesh and India returning three people after a Bangladeshi farmer was detained by India’s Border Security Force (BSF).

The BSF first picked up farmer Abdul Mannan, aged over 70, from the Meherpur Sadar border area.

In response, residents of nearby villages detained two Indian nationals and handed them over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

Representatives of the BGB and BSF then held a flag meeting at the zero line of the Ichakhali border on Tuesday afternoon.

Following the meeting, the BSF returned Mannan at around 3pm. The BGB then handed the two Indians back to India.

They were identified as Sachin Das, 65, son of late Monmohan Das of Lalbazar village under Tehatta Police Station in Nadia district, and Nartan Biswas, 35.

Lt Col Nazmul Hasan, commander of BGB-6 Chuadanga Battalion, said the two forces held the meeting to defuse the situation and returned the detainees in a cordial atmosphere.

“The situation along the border is now completely normal,” he said.

Mannan’s grandson Ibrahim said his grandfather had gone to spray pesticide on a chilli field near their home around 8am when BSF personnel detained him near border pillar 124/4-S.

Angered by the detention, locals later brought the two Indians from near pillar 123/3-S and handed them to the Ichakhali BGB camp.