Bangladesh
Border Killings Bodies of two Bangladeshis shot dead at the border not recovered in two days
Dhaka, November 5: The bodies of two Bangladeshi youths who were shot dead at the Dona border in Kanaighat, Sylhet have been lying in No Man's Land (zero line) for two days (40 hours).
Complications have arisen due to two statements made by the border forces of the two countries as to whether the bodies are in the Bangladesh or India part of the border. As a result, the rescue of the body was delayed, said a BGB official who did not want to be named. However, the BGB Sylhet Sector Commander and the 19th Battalion Commander called on their mobile phones more than once but they did not receive the call.
At noon on Wednesday (November 3), locals saw the bullet-riddled bodies of two Bangladeshi youths lying on the Indian side of Pillar No. 1331 on the Dona border in Laxmi Prasad Union, Kanaighat Upazila, Sylhet. They informed the BGB and the police.
The deceased were identified as Askar Ali, 26, son of Abdul Latif of Eraligul village bordering Laxmi Prasad East Union in Kanaighat and Arif Hossain, 22, son of Abdul Hannan of the same village.
Meanwhile, relatives of the victims were angry as the two bodies were not recovered even two days after they were shot dead. They demanded the rescue of the two bodies at any cost.
Family members of the victims said Askar and Arif left the house on Tuesday (November 2nd) night to go to the market. They have not returned since. Police believe Askar and Arif entered India illegally on Tuesday night. They were shot dead by Indian border guards or Khasia tribesmen that night or early Wednesday morning.
An official of the 19 BGB Surighat camp said on condition of anonymity that a flag meeting between the BGB and BSF was held on Thursday morning to recover the bodies of the two. The BSF denied responsibility for the killings at the meeting. They even said that the bodies were inside Bangladesh. However, the BGB said the bodies were inside India.
The meeting decided to identify the country where the bodies were found, the official said, adding that if the bodies were inside India, an autopsy would be conducted in that country. Then another flag meeting will be held and the body will be handed over. It may take some more time to rescue and hand over the body.
