A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper was detained for over six hours after around 15-20 Bangladeshis abducted and handed him over to Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), prompting the Indian authorities to lodge a protest on Tuesday.
In a statement, the BSF said its North Bengal Frontier inspector general (IG) reached out to the Bangladeshi counterpart demanding the trooper’s immediate release. The trooper was released around 5pm on Tuesday after a flag meeting with the BGB at the sector commander level.
Bangladesh media quoted BGB officers, claiming that the trooper crossed the border after which he was detained. BSF denied this and called the incident “a serious breach of border security” and “alarming.”
“In a serious breach of border security, a personnel of the BSF was abducted during a routine patrol near the Biral border in Dinajpur, India. The incident involved a group of 15 to 20 illegal Bangladeshi miscreants who crossed into Indian territory and forcibly took the BSF jawan into Bangladesh and was put in the custody of the BGB,” said the BSF statement.
“In response to this alarming situation, the IG of BSF North Bengal has promptly reached out to the region commander of the North West Region, BGB, demanding the immediate release of the abducted jawan... The jawan was returned by BGB after the meeting between the sector commanders.”
{{/usCountry}}“In response to this alarming situation, the IG of BSF North Bengal has promptly reached out to the region commander of the North West Region, BGB, demanding the immediate release of the abducted jawan... The jawan was returned by BGB after the meeting between the sector commanders.”
{{/usCountry}}The BSF statement added the force is committed to the policy of “zero firing” at the border and sought BGB’s cooperation in maintaining law and order.
The border guarding forces of the two countries have been at loggerheads since the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in August. On Saturday, the BGB stopped BSF personnel from constructing a border fence in South Bengal. The arrest of Indian civilians straying across the border accidentally has led to tensions. The Bangladesh forces also shot dead a teenager attempting to enter India.