The Indian Border Security Force has pushed nine more people into Bangladesh in Panchagarh and returned 18 Bangladeshi nationals through flag meetings in Panchagarh and Chuadanga.
With the new push-ins, the number of people, including Rohingyas and Indian nationals, pushed into Bangladesh by the BSF since May 7 has increased to 2,029.
The Indian BSF pushed at least nine individuals, including three children into Bangladesh, through two bordering points in Panchagarh July 31 night, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported.
Of them, a woman along with her three children was pushed in through Banglabandha border in Tentulia.
At the same time, the BSF handed over a woman, detained from Shiliguri, to the Border
Guard Bangladesh, said BGB-18 commander Lieutenant Colonel Monirul Islam.
He said that the BGB held a company commander-level meeting with the BSF and later the BSF handed over the woman to them.
Panchagarh Sadar police station officer-in-charge Abdullah Hil Zaman said that five women were pushed into Bangladesh along Haribhasa border of Sadar upazila.
He said that legal procedure was under way.
Meanwhile, the Indian BSF handed over 17 Bangladeshi nationals to the BGB through a flag meeting on Friday morning, said a BGB-6 Battalion press release signed by assistant director Md Haider Ali.
The flag meeting, which started at 11:30am, was conducted at the company commander-level between the Chuadanga Battalion and the 161 BSF Battalion at the zero line near Main Pillar 105, said the press release.
Mujibnagar BGB company commander Tapos Kumar led the BGB side, while Hridaypur BSF company commander Dharmendradah represented the BSF.
The 17 individuals, comprising eight men, five women, and four children, had reportedly crossed into India illegally through various border points over an unspecified period.
Preliminary questioning revealed that all had entered India without proper documentation, added the press release.
