The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dinajpur Correspondent

An extremely tense situation has been prevailing at Fulbari upazila in Dinajpur district following the border forces of Bangladesh and India exchanged several thousands of fires for about four hours yesterday on Ghasuria frontier, leaving one BDR jawan and two local villagers injured.

BDR commader Nayek Latu Mia and villagers Tofazzal Hossain and Nurul Haq of village Hashupara wounded by BSF bullets were undergoing treatment.

Local people fled homes amid a hail of gunfire, as the encounter between Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troops and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) went on from 9:20am to 1:30pm. Five villages of the Fulbari upazila wore deserted looking following the exchange of fires. Panic gripped the entire frontier area at Ghasuria.

Witnesses said a patrol team of 15 Battalion of BDR at Fulbari was patrolling on the frontier yesterday morning. At that time, a patrol team of BSF arrived at the area on the opposite side.

As the patrol teams of both BDR and BSF assembled at the zero line of the frontier, BSF patrol team commander suddenly locked in an altercation with the BDR patrol team commander bringing charges of cutting barbed wire fence put by India. At one stage of the altercation at about 9:20am, a member of the BSF patrol team started firing without any provocation appearing from behind, leaving BDR patrol commander Nayek Latu Mia seriously injured. Instantly, the BSF troops opened fire on BDR patrol team and the BDR members gave replies to the fires taking position in their bunkers.

At one stage of firing, BSF sub-inspector Om Prokash intruded some 50 to 60 yards inside the Bangladesh territory being separated from his patrol team. Later, the local villagers caught SI Om Prokash. Villagers of Hashupara village held Om Prokash about 60 yards from the zero line of the border. He was immediately handed over to BDR.

In spite of the arrest of Om Prokash, the BSF troops continued their unprovoked firing on the BDR members.

BDR responded to the BSF fire. It couldn't be known if there was any casualty on the Indian side.

The four-hour-long firing salvo ended as BSF sector commander of Maldaha PS Tomar requested the Dinajpur sector commander of BDR Col Rezaul Kabir over phone for a flag meeting to settle the matter as well as stop firing and hoist the white flag.

BDR sector commander of Dinajpur Col Rezaul Kabir leading a six-member team attended the flag meeting at about 3:30 in the afternoon with BSF team headed by DIG of Maldaha Zone RPK Rawal at the no man's land adjacent to Hashupara. The meeting ended at about 4:45pm.

Later Col Reza told newsmen that BSF assured that they will not indulge in trespassing or unprovoked firing. Any dispute would be settled through flag meeting.

He said the gunfight started by BSF during an altercation of BDR patrol team over a wide hole in the Indian barbed wire fence for which they blamed Bangladeshi nationals.

At the request of BSF authorities, sub-inspector Om Prokash, detained for trespassing, was returned to BSF at the flag meeting as a gesture of goodwill, BDR commander said.