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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| BSF enters Bangladesh with automatic weapons |
| 2005-04-29 |
| A heavy contingent of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) equipped with automatic weapons entered Bangladesh territory on Thursday violating the international border laws and hoisted red flags along Panchagarh frontiers. The BSF contingent also attempted to trespass the border from some other points simultaneously, official sources and the frontier people said. Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) showed maximum restraints in the face of provocative actions of the BSF troops to avoid further escalation of the already tense situation, the sources said. BDR sources, Police, Ansar and VDP and the frontier people said nearly 40 armed BSF troops from the Sholodighee camp under 138 BSF Battalion came to the zero line near the boundary pillar 436/1S opposite to the Majhipara outpost of BDR at Tentulia upazila by a pick up van and a truck at about 11 AM on Thursday. The BSF troops instantly hoisted red flags near the zero line and took position along the border-wire fences. They also made several defensive lines on the ground. Later, 11 BSF soldiers crossed the international border and intruded into Bangladesh territory. The BDR jawans of Majhipara outpost started patrolling with maximum restraints to avoid further escalation of the situation. Following proper steps taken by the BDR, the BSF intruders returned to India after 20 minutes and later all of them went away from the place along with their red flags and vehicles, the sources said. In another incident, some 150 BSF troops on pick-up vans and three jeeps came to the zero line near Paharipara village under Boda upazila at about 10-30 AM on Thursday from Doikhata camp under 87 BSF Battalion. The BSF troops hoisted red flags along the zero line and took position inside India for sometime. The BDR jawans again showed maximum restraint by strengthening its patrol while the BSF forces went away from the border, the sources said. In another development, an unspecified number of BSF troops from Moragati camp under 32 BSF Battalion suddenly came to the Indian side near pillar No. 397 of Borshalupara border under Atoari upazila at about 10:45 AM on Thursday. The BDR jawans of Borshalupara outpost under Thakurgaon 20 Rifle Battalion rushed there but showed maximum restraints in patrolling the area. At one stage, the BSF troops left the place and went inside India, the sources said. Another group of BSF troops paid three provocative visits to the Hilli Land Port (HLP) area near the zero line by using vehicles at 10 AM, 11-45 AM and 1 PM. The Indian border guards also visited several points on the zero line along Hakumpur and Birampur borders of Dinajpur district. The sources and the frontier people said huge mobilisation of BSF troops was reported inside India opposite to Bangladesh's Joypurhat, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and Kurigram districts. When asked, several officials in the frontier areas told BSS on Thursday evening that the BSF troops were evidently provoking the BDR personnel and the frontier people to engage in conflicts with the Indian border guards. "We are observing that the BDR personnel are showing maximum restraint to avoid any further escalation of the situation," they said. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 This from the Bangladesh Times? Call me skeptical. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-04-29 11:41:48 AM |