BGB returns fire after Bangladeshi farmer injured in BSF firing at Kushtia border

A Bangladeshi farmer was injured in firing by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) near the Jamalpur border in Kushtia’s Daulatpur upazila today (10 October), prompting the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to return fire.

The incident took place around 9:30am near border pillar No 152/10-S, according to local sources and a press release from the 47 BGB Battalion.

The injured farmer, Sajul Hossain, 30, is the son of Sabaj Hossain of Jamalpur village.

Residents claimed to have detained an Indian citizen following the incident. However, the BGB has not confirmed the claim.

According to locals, Sajul was cutting grass near the zero line of the border when a patrol team from the nursery camp of India’s 146 BSF Battalion fired a round of pellet ammunition at him. He sustained pellet injuries from his waist down to his ankles.

The 47 BGB Battalion said in its statement that a Bangladeshi citizen was shot in the leg after the BSF suddenly opened fire in the morning.

The BGB also returned fire as a self-defensive measure to ensure the safety of local residents near the border, the press release said. BGB patrols and surveillance have since been intensified, with additional security precautions in place along the border.

Lieutenant Colonel Rashed Kamal Roni, commander of the 47 BGB Battalion in Kushtia, said the injured farmer was rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment.

BGB personnel visited the scene to assess the situation and take necessary measures, he added. Sajul was initially taken to Daulatpur Upazila Health Complex for treatment. After receiving primary care, he was referred to Kushtia General Hospital, said Dr Touhid Hasan Tuhin, Daulatpur Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer.