- Thursday, May 01, 2025
The Border Security Force claims it has thwarted a “significant” infiltration attempt by a large group of Bangladeshis along the international border in West Bengal
By: Shajil Kumar
HUNDREDS of Bangladeshi nationals gathered at the international border with India in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district on Wednesday, seeking to crossover claiming that they were under attack in their country, officials said.
The incident happened near Dakshin Berubari village in the Jhaportala border outpost area, they said, adding that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) later took them back.
These people belonged to five villages in Bangladesh’s Panchagarh district, which shares border with Jalpaiguri, they added.
“The Bangladeshis had gathered at the border, but none were able to enter India as the border was completely sealed. They were later taken back by the BGB,” a BSF official said.
A local said that those gathered across the barbed wire were pleading to let them in.
“But we are helpless. They recounted their horrific experiences,” he said.
Infiltration attempts
The Border Security Force (BSF) on Wednesday said it thwarted a “significant” infiltration attempt by a large group of Bangladeshis along the International Border (IB) in West Bengal, amid an ongoing “high alert”, announced due to turmoil in the neighbouring country.
Officials said the personnel of the force stopped about 120-140 Bangladeshi citizens who were attempting to cross over to the Indian side from multiple locations in the eastern state.
The force is on a “high alert” mode since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Dhaka earlier this week.
The North Bengal Frontier of the force issued a statement to quell “rumours” and clarify that there was “no widespread movement of the minority population from Bangladesh towards the Indian border.”
“The individuals gathered were primarily motivated by fears of local unrest. The BSF, in coordination with the BGB, and Bangladeshi civil authorities has reassured these individuals of their safety and encouraged them to return to their homes,” a spokesperson for the frontier headquartered in Kadamtala, Darjeeling, said.
The Bangladeshi nationals were observed gathering near the IB around noon in two sectors, the statement said.
These gatherings were prompted by fears of attacks by protestors in Bangladesh, it said.
Greater vigil
According to the statement, BSF personnel demonstrated “exceptional vigilance” and proactive measures and swiftly responded to these situations,” ensuring the security of the border and the safety of the gathered Bangladeshi nationals.
In one sector, it said, the BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh, as well as local civil authorities, sent back 35 Bangladeshi civilians to their homes.
“BSF has deployed additional forces to manage the situation effectively,” the statement said said.
In another sector, a group of Bangladeshi villagers approached the IB, causing a brief commotion, but the BSF personnel “promptly engaged” with the group, and the situation was peacefully resolved without any “adverse” incidents.
The villagers returned to their homes, and BSF remains on high alert, the spokesperson said.
In an another incident, the North Bengal Frontier said, a “significant infiltration attempt was thwarted when a large Bangladeshi crowd was observed near the border.”
It added, “BSF personnel quickly mobilised and, with the cooperation of BGB, dispersed the crowd, preventing any violation of the International border.”
The North Bengal frontier of the BSF guards 932.39 km section of the total 4,096-km-long India-Bangladesh international border covering the districts of Uttar Dinajpur, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar in West Bengal.
Bangladesh plunged into uncertainty after weeks of violent street protests over job quota forced Sheikh Hasina to quit as prime minister and flee.
Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved Parliament on Tuesday and appointed Nobel laureate Yunus as the head of an interim government.
Yunus on Thursday returned to Bangladesh from Paris to take oath as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government. (PTI)
