Locals besiege BGB camp for body of Bangladeshi killed in BSF firing in Moulvibazar

Published at 11:06 pm March 22nd, 2021

BSF officials with Bappa’s body at the Indian side of the Fultala border in Juri upazila of Moulvibazar on Monday, March 22, 2021 Dhaka Tribune

Bappa’s body was handed over to his family later in the day amid all the protest

Bangladeshi youth Abdul Mumin Bappa was reportedly shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) at the Fultala border in Juri upazila of Moulvibazar on Saturday.

Soon after the incident, Bappa's father, Abdul Rauf, had submitted a written request to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) for the body of his son.

But it took the BGB till Monday afternoon to bring back Bappa’s body from India.

Frustrated by such “inaction,” locals, earlier in the day besieged the BGB camp. They demanded that Bappa’s body be brought back to Bangladesh in the quickest time possible.

Amid all the protest, Bappa’s body was handed over to his family later in the day following all due procedures.

Ealier on Sunday noon, a flag meeting was held between the BGB and BSF on the Indian side of the border. During the meeting, BSF handed over a letter asking its Bangladeshi counterpart to take back the body.

Also Read - Bangladeshi man shot dead by BSF along Moulvibazar border

BGB decided to respond to the letter later before the meeting came to an end.

Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, India’s Kadamtala police station OC Krishnadhan Sarkar, who was present at the flag meeting, claimed that BGB had visited the spot of the incident.

“BGB was asked to take back the body. BGB told us that they would inform us regarding the issue later.”

According to sources, when BSF, on Monday noon, brought Bappa’s body to the zero point of the border, BGB did not take any initiative to take it back, which the locals noticed and which aroused their indignation. They then besieged the BGB camp.

Following this, Dhaka Tribune tried to contact with Lt Col Siddiqui, commander of the BGB 52 battalion, and Subedar Delwar Hossain, commander of Fultala BGB camp, but they had not picked up their phones.

Local cattle trader Bappa’s body was found on the other side of the border around 4am on Saturday.

“Bappa was allegedly shot dead by BSF on the other side of the border. His body was later dumped at the site,” Md Moinuddin, a member of the local union council, told Dhaka Tribune.