3 BSF men detained for trespassing

The Border Guard Bangladesh detained three members of Indian Border Security Force for illegally entering the country's territory on Majhardiar frontier in Rajshahi yesterday.

The BGB strongly protested against the trespass and sent the three BSF members back through a flag meeting five hours later.

The three are Assistant Sub-Inspector Harnam Singh and constables Rakesh Kumar and Santosh Kumar of Harudanga BSF camp of Murshidabad district, said Lt Col Shamim Masud Al Iftekhar, director of BGB 1 Battalion in Rajshahi.

They were caught with their firearms, wireless sets and mobile phones one kilometre into Bangladesh in Hajir Bathan area around 8:30am, he added.

The BSF members claimed they had mistakenly crossed the border while chasing a group of Bangladeshi cattle smugglers amidst dense fog, he further said.

However, it is not a good practice that trained forces like BSF would make mistakes like trespassing into another country, he observed.

The BGB strongly protested against the trespassing and BSF offered apologies during a company commander level flag meeting.

BSF Assistant Commissioner Amrit Proshad led Indian side and BGB Company Commander Subedar Abu Taleb led BGB members at the meeting.

Locals said the trespass created panic among them.

The BSF men attempted to raid a cattle shed around 7:30am, said Shamim Sheikh, councillor of Haripur Union Parishad.

In the face of protests, the BSF men threatened to arrest the locals, he added. At this stage, the locals called BGB.

The BSF men challenged BGB members when they arrived on the scene, pointing guns towards them. In response, the BGB also challenged the BSF men pointing their guns, he said.

However, the BSF members realised their mistake and surrendered to the BGB members half an hour later, said the UP member who visited the area hearing the incident.