The New Nation - Internet Edition

Desk Report

Indian Border Security Forces(BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles(BDR) yesterday exchanged fire on Pirojpur border in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj and Nimtala border in Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga in a fresh skirmish, leaving one Bangladeshi farmer dead and scaring local people once again.

Border sources said cross-border trade and immigration through Sonamasjid land-port halted following the encounter between Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troops.

None was reported hurt in the firing between the border guards of the two countries, which the sources said occurred following an encounter between BSF and gunmen inside India.

Contact between Sonamasjid immigration check-post in Bangladesh and Mahdipur immigration check-post on the Indian side snapped for the firing.

A Bangladeshi and Indian national got stranded at the immigration check-post on the other side of the border till the filing of the report because of the closure.

Besides, no trucks carrying commodities from India had reached Sonamasjid land-port till 1am, the sources said.

BDR sources said BSF troops from Sultanpur camp in India opened across the border at about 6:15am, forcing BDR jawans to fire back.

Commander of 39 battalion of BDR Lt Col Golam Kibria told UNB that they had first heard sound of firing by the BSF inside India at about 6am.

"At one stage, fire was opened towards us. In response, we fired one shot," the commander said.

The paramilitary BDR troops were put on high alert on the northwestern border after the firing.

The BDR sources also said that they came to know that a shootout between Indian terrorists and the BSF occurred before the firing through the border towards Bangladesh.

Two BSF troops were reported killed and an Indian citizen was wounded in that encounter.

Earlier last Friday, the BSF troops gunned down two BDR personnel in Raghunathpur border area in the same frontier uapazila of the district.

In another firing a Bangladeshi farmer was shot dead by

BSF at Nimtala border in Damurhuda upazila early yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Rakibul Islam, 35, son of Babar Ali of Sultanpur village of the upazila.

BDR sources the BSF troops from Gede border in India opened fire on Rakibul Islam, killing him on the spot when he went to his cropland near the main pillar of the border at about 5:30am. Later, the Indian border guards took away the body.

BDR personnel sent a letter to their Indian counterparts demanding immediate return of the body.

According to official sources some 78 Bangladeshi people, including two BDR jawans, have been killed by Indian border security forces across the border since January this year.

In last Friday, BSF troops gunned down two BDR jawans at Raghunathpur border in Shibganj upazila of Chainawabganj district.

Odhikar, a human rights organisation, revealed in their recent report that some 707 Bangladeshi people have been killed by the BSF forces in last eight years.