Lalmonirhat Correspondent

Twenty people were pushed-in from India at Lalmonirhat border and they have been kept  in police custody. More push-ins may be happened. 

On Friday night, India pushed in through the Patgram border in Lalmonirhat. After being pushed in, 20 people including children were first kept at the local BGB camp and later at Patgram police station. Among the detainees, there are 7 children, 11 women, and 2 men. Patgram police station officer-in-charge Mizanur Rahman confirmed the incident.

However, it is believed by locals and the victims of the push-in that many more Bangladeshis living in India were pushed in last Wednesday night through various northern borders.

The detainees are: Mosammat Seema Khatun, Mosammat Akhi (4), Mosammat Afsana Khatun (25), Md. Hamza Fasab (06), Mosammat Chayna Khatun (23), Mosammat Mariam Khatun (1), Mosammat Taiba Khatun (10 months) from Buibag village in Kalia upazila of Narail district; Mosammat Ruma Akter (35) from Dahtola upazila of the same district, Mosammat Ripa Khatun (30) from Sadar upazila, Mosammat Rafiza Khatun (35), Md. Murad Sheikh (25), Mosammat Ritu Begum (20), Mosammat Habiba Akter (03), Mosammat Panna Begum (45), Mosammat Keya Akter (22), Mosammat Labiba Khatun (02), and Mohammad Hossain (11); Mosammat Afri Khatun (30) from Terokhada upazila in Khulna, Md. Shahjahan Sheikh (40), and Mosammat Farhana Begum (30) from Jessore.

According to BGB, at dawn on Wednesday, members of India's 98 BSF Gomti Camp pushed in 11 Bangladeshi nationals through responsibility-bound border pillar 826/6-S under Dhobalsuti BOP of 61 BGB Teesta-2 battalion in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat. They were detained by the BGB patrol team about 400 yards inside Bangladesh at a place called Rahmatpur Ghatiyar Vita.

Meanwhile, at the same time, members of India's 98 BSF Mahanadi Camp pushed in 9 Bangladeshi nationals through responsibility-bound border pillars 846/3 and 4-S under Jhalongi BOP of 61 BGB Teesta-2 battalion. They were detained by the BGB patrol team about 500 yards inside Bangladesh at a place near Jhalongi Government Primary School.

BGB stated that during interrogation, the detainees revealed they had entered India illegally 2-3 years ago through the Kolaroa border in Jessore in search of work. They were detained in Gujarat prison for the last one month before being pushed in on Wednesday. Legal action has been taken against them for illegally entering Bangladesh from India and they have been handed over to Patgram police station.

Locals said that after entering the country through the border, the group started walking towards Patgram in different groups. When they reached Natun Bazar, suspicious locals detained and questioned them, at which point they admitted they were sent from India. Based on statements from the detainees, locals claimed that not only 20 people, but around 50 or more were pushed in through the border in two phases last night, many of whom managed to escape the notice of police and BGB.

Patgram police station OC Mizanur Rahman said, legal action will be taken against the detainees.