Border Guard Bangladesh and local residents on Sunday thwarted an alleged attempt by India’s Border Security Force to push nine people into Bangladesh through border points in Kurigram’s Rowmari upazila, officials and residents said.
The incident occurred at the Goytarpara, Bongsher Char and Islamari frontier areas near Main Pillar No. 1060, triggering heightened tensions along the border, according to Bangladesh Pratidin.
According to local sources, six people, including two children, one woman and three young men, were brought toward the Goytarpara and Bongsher Char border areas, while three other men were pushed through the Islamari border.
Border Security Force personnel reportedly claimed the individuals were residents of Kangshi village in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district and therefore belonged in Bangladesh.
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh, assisted by local residents, prevented the individuals from entering the country, according to officials and witnesses.
Following the incident, Border Guard Bangladesh increased patrols and surveillance across the area to prevent further infiltration attempts.
“The BGB is in a strict position regarding the protection of all the country’s borders,” the commander of the Jamalpur 35 Border Guard Bangladesh Battalion said.
Residents said similar incidents have become more frequent in recent months.
“In recent times, push-in attempts have been noticed multiple times at various points of the Rowmari border,” local residents said.
Despite heightened security measures, residents said “a tense situation still prevails in the border area.”