BSF kills Bangladeshi at Sunamganj border

Indian Border Security Force gunned down a Bangladeshi youth, Saidul Islam, 23, at the Bishwambharpur border in Sunamganj on Wednesday evening (January 8). 

The incident occurred in the Masimpur area of the upazila.  

Saidul, son of Joynal Abedin from Gamaitala village, was reportedly trying to cross the border into India with betel nuts when the Border Security Force (BSF) opened fire, according to sources from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).  

BGB officials stated that Saidul was shot while entering India through the Gamaitala border area. Following the incident, BGB members rescued him and rushed him to Bishwambharpur Health Complex. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to Sunamganj General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival.  

Dr Shafiqur Islam, an emergency physician at Sunamganj General Hospital, confirmed that Saidul had sustained two gunshot wounds—one in the chest and another in the stomach. He added that the type of bullet could only be determined after an autopsy.  

AKM Zakaria Qadir, Commander of the 28th Battalion of BGB in Sunamganj, said that it remains unclear whether Saidul was killed by BSF fire or by shots from Indian Garos. To address the matter, a flag meeting has been scheduled with BSF officials at the Karaigada BOP camp in Machimpur.  

The tragic incident has heightened tensions along the border, prompting calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the firing.