BSF withdraws ten migrants from Bangladesh border after 69-hour standoff
Photo Collected
Indian border guards have removed ten individuals, including women and children, from a “no-man’s-land” zone along the Barabari-Pradhanpara border in Panchagarh after a 69-hour standoff. According to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the Border Security Force (BSF) withdrew the group into Indian territory at 2:40 a.m. on Sunday, under the cover of darkness.
The ordeal began last Friday at dawn when the BSF attempted to push the group across the border into Bangladesh. The effort was thwarted by heightened surveillance from BGB personnel, who prevented the group from entering sovereign Bangladeshi territory. Stranded between the two nations for nearly three days, the ten people—comprised of five men, two women, and three children—were forced to endure harsh weather conditions, including intense heat and intermittent thunderstorms, while huddled on a narrow strip of farmland along the zero line.
Efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis through diplomatic channels proved difficult. Company-level talks held on Friday were followed by a commander-level flag meeting on Saturday between the BGB’s Nilphamari 56 Battalion and the BSF’s 93 Battalion. Both sessions concluded without a resolution, leaving the group exposed to the elements for the duration of the weekend.
Local residents and officials expressed relief following the resolution of the stalemate. Hasibul Islam, a local ward member, described the scene as distressing, noting that the sight of children and women suffering in the rain and sun had deeply affected the border community.
Lieutenant Colonel Md. Sirajul Islam, commander of the Nilphamari 56 BGB Battalion, confirmed that the BSF deactivated their security lighting to facilitate the movement of the group back into Indian territory. He added that the BGB remains on high alert to prevent any further unauthorized attempts to push individuals across the international border.
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