Image Source: hindustantimes.com
On Friday, nearly 1,000 Bangladeshi nationals tried to cross into India through the Sitalkuchi border in Cooch Behar district, West Bengal. Border Security Force (BSF) personnel from the North Bengal frontier successfully pushed back around 900-950 individuals by late evening.
However, between 50 to 100 individuals remained at the border, refusing to leave. According to a BSF officer, “Some 50-100 people are still there, shouting slogans and demanding entry into India. We are coordinating with the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) to ensure their return.”
The situation at the Indo-Bangladesh border has been challenging, with similar incidents occurring across the eastern frontier. “Villagers from the Bangladesh border are arriving either individually or in large groups, attempting to enter India. Recent days have seen crowds in the North Bengal frontier area, while isolated incidents are occurring elsewhere,” a senior BSF officer at the Delhi headquarters reported. The individuals trying to cross include members from both Hindu and Muslim communities.
On Wednesday, BSF personnel in North Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district had to fire multiple rounds into the air to disperse infiltrators.
The heightened security measures come amid political instability in Bangladesh following widespread violence and protests that led to the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina regime. In response, additional BSF personnel have been deployed, as the Centre enforces a strict “zero-infiltration” policy.
