BGB recovers body at Kushtia border

In the latest suspected incident of cross-border killing, a body of a Bangladeshi man has been found along the border with India in Kushtia district.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials recovered the body from Daulatpur border area of the district early today, reports our Kushtia correspondent.

The deceased was identified as Robiul Hossain Robi, 30, hailing from Daulatpur upazila in the district, said Subedar Jahangir Alam, commander of Mahiskundi Border Observation Post (BOP).

Locals claimed that Robiul was shot to death by Indian Border Security Force (BSF), however BGB officials did not confirm the claim.

On information from locals, a team of BGB led by Jahangir Alam recovered the body from inside Bangladesh territory near border pillar No-157 under Charpara border point in the upazila around 8:30am.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Chilmari union parishad Seraj Uddin Mondol claimed that a BSF team of Bausmari camp under 43 Commandant in Jalangi Thana of Murshidabad district fired shots on few Bangladeshis when they were bringing cattle from India early today.

“Relatives of the victim confirmed the matter to me,” Seraj said.

When asked, the BGB official said none of the BSF camps of the concerned areas confirmed their involvement in the incident.  

“We are looking into the matter,” the BGB official added.

According to the Bangladesh Home Ministry, Indian Border Security Force killed a total of 294 Bangladeshi nationals in last 10 years since 2009.

India and Bangladesh share a 4,053-kilometre long border.

The incident today came at a time when Bangladesh authorities have taken a decision to stop Indian cattle from entering Bangladeshi markets ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. Bangladesh now has more cattle than the possible demand during Eid.

In 2018, Bangladesh received 92,000 cows from India while the number had been up to 2.5 million annually in previous years. This year, approximately, 11 million cattle are expected to be slaughtered during the Eid.

Illegal cross-border cattle trading, however, has not stopped completely.