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Bangladesh has strongly condemned the killing of three of its citizens in India’s north-eastern state of Tripura, calling the incident a “brutal” and “unacceptable” act that violates human rights and the rule of law.
In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the men were beaten to death by a mob in Tripura on October 15. It described the killings as a “heinous act” and urged India to conduct an “immediate, impartial and transparent investigation”.
Dhaka also called on New Delhi to ensure that the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice, and to take steps to prevent any recurrence of such violence, bdnews24.com reprots.
“This heinous act is an unacceptable and grave violation of human rights and the rule of law,” the statement said.
"The Government of Bangladesh underscores that all individuals, irrespective of nationality, are entitled to the full protection of their human rights, regardless of which side of the border they may inadvertently find themselves in,” it added.
The three victims, identified as Pandit Mia, Sajal Mia, and Jewel Mia, were residents of Habiganj's Chunarughat Upazila.
According to officials, the men had crossed into India’s Khowai district in Tripura on Tuesday morning while collecting tendu leaves, which are commonly used in the production of bidi (hand-rolled cigarettes).
Lt Col Md Tanzilur Rahman, commander of the 55 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion, said the men were attacked by local residents who suspected them of theft.
“Local residents, suspecting them of theft, beat them and shot arrows at them, leading to their deaths,” he said.
The bodies were handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday through the Kedaraghat border.