BGB DG Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam briefing reporters at BGB headquarters in Dhaka on Thursday, January 2, 2019. Photo: Shariful Islam

A total of 445 Bangladeshi nationals returned from India in last two months following the National Register of Citizens (NRC) published by the Indian government, virtually stripping about 19 lakh people of citizenship.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General (DG) Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam disclosed the information while replying to a query at a press briefing in the capital’s BGB headquarters today.

The paramilitary force detained 1,102 people for trespassing into Bangladesh from neighbouring India last year. Of them, 606 were men, 258 people were women, 235 were children and three were human traffickers, he said.

After verifying their identities through local representatives, BGB came to know that all the intruders are Bangladeshis.

At least 253 cases were filed on charge of illegal trespassing through the borders of Jhenidah, Maheshpur and Satkhira, he informed.

He, however, said there is no tension between two bordering forces.

Additionally, BGB is planning to buy some modern arms and ammunition to beef up security along the frontiers of St Martin’s Island and borders with Myanmar, he added.

The force is also planning to purchase two speedboats which will patrol India-Bangladesh and Myanmar-Bangladesh borders along the Padma and Naf rivers and the Sundarbans.

Apart from these, two helicopters will also be purchased -- one of which will reach the country on January 17. 

Maj Gen Shafeenul disclosed the information while replying to queries at a press briefing in the capital’s BGB headquarters today.

The BGB chief was addressing the briefing on conclusion of a five-day DG-level BGB-BSF conference held at BSF’s Chhawla Complex in India’s New delhi on December 25-29.

About India’s National Register of Citizens (NRC), Maj Gen Shafeenul said, “No discussion was held at the conference over the issue”.

Asked about border killing, he further said, “India has assured us that they would remain alert and show their utmost tolerance on the border killing”.

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) never shoot illegal intruders if they are not attacked by them, he quoted BSF troops as saying during the conference.