India’s Border Security Force (BSF) pushed 68 individuals into Bangladesh through three border points in Sylhet and Sunamganj on Wednesday, amid ongoing tensions over cross-border expulsions. Of the group, 52 were sent through the Sylhet-Jaintiapur border and 16 through the Chhatak border in Sunamganj. The group included 18 men, 22 women, and 28 children, all of whom were detained by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and handed over to local police for alleged illegal trespassing.
Since May 4, BSF has reportedly pushed a total of 901 individuals into Bangladesh, most of them originally from districts like Kurigram, Jessore, and Bagerhat. Sylhet BGB officials confirmed the identities of the latest arrivals as Bangladeshi nationals.
Meanwhile, another 65 people—believed to be Indian citizens from Assam—remain stranded in no-man’s land at six border points in Lalmonirhat after failed BSF attempts to push them into Bangladesh. Local villagers provided food and water, while BGB resisted their entry.
A flag meeting between BGB and BSF at the Chowratari border yielded no resolution, with BGB officers stating that the stranded individuals had valid Indian addresses and should not be forced into Bangladesh. “Pushing them in under cover of night is inhumane,” said Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Imam, commander of Lalmonirhat BGB-15 battalion.
