Two Bangladeshi youths were wounded as the Indian Border Security Force opened fire targeting them from 70-80 yards inside India opposite the Shyamnagar border along India under Kasba upazila in Brahmanbaria early Sunday.
The wounded are Azad Hossain, 40, and Md Robiul Islam, 45, residents of Shyampur village under Kasba upazila in the district and they are now undergoing treatment at Cumilla Sadar Hospital, according to Border Guard Bangladesh officials.
About 7-8 people entered 70-80 yards inside India at about 1:15am on Sunday and when they challenged BSF members, BSF opened fire on them, said BGB officials.
BGB 60 Battalion commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Ziaur Rahman said that although BSF opened fire targeting them in the Indian territory, the bullet injured youths managed to come back to Bangladesh.
Sources in the BGB said that smugglers used to bring cows, spices from India ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslims likely to be celebrated on June 7.
The Indian Border Security Force keeps killing Bangladeshis in border areas with the number of the killed increasing in recent months despite repeated promises by India to bring down the killings to zero.
At least 11 Bangladeshi nationals were killed and 23 injured in BSF shooting and beating incidents from January to April this year. Of those killed, five were in April alone, three in March, one in February and two in January, according to rights group Ain O Salish Kendra data updated till April 30.
