Border deadlock leaves 12 stranded at Kushtia zero line after failed talks

More than 30 hours after the standoff began, the group remains trapped between the two countries in Kushtia

A group of 12 people stranded at the Kushtia border zero line have spent the night at the frontier after becoming embroiled in an alleged cross-border “push-in” attempt.

Talks between Bangladesh and India's border guards ended without a resolution more than 30 hours later.

On Saturday, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has informed it that a decision will be made only after verifying whether the 12 individuals are Indian citizens.

Until then, they will remain at the zero line.

A flag meeting was held at 10am on Saturday near border pillar 148, led by Raninagar BSF Camp Commander AC Sunil Kumar and Nurul Huda, assistant director of BGB Battalion 47.

Lt Col Rashed Kamal Rony, commander of the BGB Kushtia Battalion, said the 30-minute meeting ended without any decision on taking back those stranded at the border.

The BGB said it is closely monitoring the situation at the Charbilgathua border in Pragpur Union and would not accept any push-in attempt through the frontier.

It added that all necessary preparations have been taken to deal with the situation.

The border force also said local residents should remain alert.

According to the BGB, the BSF attempted to push 12 people, including women and children, into Bangladesh early Friday.

BGB personnel and locals intervened and sent them back into Indian territory. Since then, the group has remained at the zero line.

The incident comes despite the BSF’s recent pledge to give the “highest priority” to preventing push-ins through bilateral mechanisms during the 57th BGB-BSF director general-level border conference held in New Delhi from Monday to Thursday.