BDR denies press reports on push-in
BSS, Nilphamari
The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) yesterday said there was no incident of push-in along the Nilphamari border, contradicting press reports that a push-in bid by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday created tension along the border.BDR officials said BDR troops of Ketkibari border out post (BOP) under Domar upazila in the Nilphamari border area during a routine patrol saw nine Indian nationals assembled inside India, about 75 metres from the zero line. The troops then notified the on-duty BSF men of Shalmara BSF camp of India about the Indian nationals. Immediately afterwards, the BSF men sent them back inside the Indian territory. "However, it is difficult to say whether it was a push-in attempt. The Indian nationals did not cross the international border," a BDR official said. He added that the nine Indian nationals -- two men, two women and five children -- might have come there to visit their relatives on the occasion of the Durga Puja. BDR officials also denied a local report that several hundred Bengali-speaking Indian Muslims were being gathered along the Nilphamari border to be pushed into Bangladesh. They said the BDR did not have any such information so far but has been on alert everywhere in recent months.
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