BGB detains 24 in Sherpur for attempting ‘illegal’ border crossing into India

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has detained 24 people, allegedly attempting to illegally enter India through the Jhenaigati border in Sherpur.

They were detained around 9:30pm on Monday under the Haldigram Border Outpost, said Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Hasan, captain of BGB Battalion-39 in Mymensingh.

Those detained have been identified as Mojibur Rahman, 25, Shahriar Emon, 21, Wahid, 38, Md Kurban Ali, 45, Md Mithun Ali, 27, Joynul Hossain, 30, Ibrahim, 33, Akhtarul, 29, Md Mahabur, 47, Md Shakil, 29, Md Tarif, 27, Md Mamun, 40, Asmaul, 18, Yakub Ali, 30, Taufik Omar, 23, Md Akbar, 29, Biplob Hossain, 19 and Ratan Ali, 38.

Four autorickshaw drivers: Md Jahangir Alam, 40, Md Faruk, 40, Emon, 20, and Sulaiman, 40, were also among the detainees.

The suspected traffickers were identified as Majnu Mia, 36, and Milon Haque, 35.

According to a BGB media statement issued on Tuesday morning, a patrol team from the Haldigram BOP detained the group, who were attempting to illegally cross the border into India with the help of traffickers.

During the operation, four autorickshaws, 14 mobile phones, a power bank, a wristwatch, and Tk 54,400 in cash were seized.

Primary interrogation revealed that the group had paid Tk 5,000 each to a man from Nalitabari Upazila to secure their illegal entry into India.

Among them, 18 were construction workers allegedly trying to reach Chennai for employment.

BGB said that a case under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act has been filed against the two suspected traffickers at Jhenaigati Police Station, while another case has been filed against the remaining 22 for attempting to cross the border without passports.