Body of teen killed in BSF firing returned in the dark of night

India's Border Security Force (BSF) last night returned the body of a Bangladeshi teenager who died in BSF firing along the Dighaltari border in Lalmonirhat.

Liton Mia, 18, was shot by BSF early Tuesday morning and died in an Indian hospital the same night.

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) handed over Liton's body at Jhaurani border of Hatibandha upazila around 11:00pm in presence of border guards and police of both countries.

Liton, of Dighaltari village of Durgapur union in Aditmari upazila, was buried at his village home last night.

BSF was supposed to return the body at Durgapur border of Aditmari upazila yesterday afternoon, but they decided to hand over the body at Jhaurani border late at night, Durgapur Union Parishad Chairman Asaduzzaman Nannu told The Daily Star.

It was very difficult for them to take Liton's body to his home in the dark of night as the body was returned at Jhaurani border instead of nearby Durgapur border, Nannu said.

Many people gathered on Durgapur border yesterday afternoon to witness the process and that's why BSF decided to return the body through another border, fearing that it would create tension at the border, he added.

Lalmonirhat 15 BGB Battalion's Commanding Officer (CO) Lt Colonel Mofazzal Hossain Akhand told journalists that they protested the killing of the Bangladeshi youth by BSF on the border.

People in border areas should be made aware of the dangers of crossing the border illegally, he said.

Liton was injured in BSF firing while bringing cows from India illegally, according to the BGB.