12 People Returned to BSF After Three-Day Border Standoff at Kushtia Frontier

Twelve individuals, including women and children, who were previously involved in an alleged cross-border push-in incident at the Pragpur frontier in Daulatpur Upazila of Kushtia, were formally handed back to the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday following a diplomatic flag meeting between border authorities of Bangladesh and India.

The handover took place around 11:00am near border pillar 148/3-S in the Pragpur area after discussions between the Border Guard Bangladesh (Border Guard Bangladesh) and the Border Security Force (Border Security Force). The meeting was conducted in a coordinated manner, with both sides agreeing to resolve the situation peacefully after days of uncertainty along the border.
 

According to officials, the individuals had been caught in a tense situation since Friday (12 June), when BSF personnel allegedly attempted to push them into Bangladesh in the early hours of the morning. The group, which included men, women and children, was later identified by local residents and taken into custody by BGB personnel after they were found in the border area.
 

The incident quickly escalated into a diplomatic and operational issue between the two border forces. A flag meeting was initially scheduled on the same day but could not be held, with BGB sources claiming that BSF did not cooperate at the time. As a result, the individuals remained stranded in the “zero line” area between the two countries for several days, creating a prolonged humanitarian and administrative challenge.
 

A second attempt at dialogue was made on Saturday morning near border pillar 150/3-S in the Bilgatua border region. However, that meeting also ended without a resolution, as no agreement was reached regarding responsibility for the individuals. BSF officials reportedly denied the allegation that the group had been pushed into Bangladesh territory and initially refused to take custody of them.
 

During the interim period, the 12 individuals reportedly faced significant hardship while staying in the open border zone. Local reports indicated that they were exposed to harsh weather conditions, including extreme heat, and had limited access to basic sanitation and medical care. Prolonged exposure reportedly led to illness among some members of the group, raising concerns about humanitarian conditions along the frontier.

After continued discussions, both sides agreed to hold another formal flag meeting, which eventually led to a resolution on Monday. The meeting included a delegation led by Deputy Commander Nurul Huda from Kushtia’s BGB 47 Battalion on the Bangladeshi side, while the BSF delegation was led by Company Commander AC Sunil Kumar Yadav from Raninagar sector.

Following the discussions, the decision was made to transfer custody of the 12 individuals back to BSF authorities. Lieutenant Colonel Rashed Kamal Rony, commanding officer of Kushtia 47 BGB, confirmed the handover and stated that the process was completed in a peaceful and coordinated manner. He added that both sides maintained communication throughout the incident and worked toward a mutually agreed resolution.

Officials from Bangladesh and India have long managed complex border-related issues through joint mechanisms such as flag meetings between BGB and BSF. These meetings are typically used to address disputes, clarify incidents, and prevent escalation along the heavily monitored international border.

While the immediate situation has now been resolved, the incident has once again highlighted ongoing concerns related to irregular cross-border movements and the handling of vulnerable individuals in border regions. Both sides are expected to maintain heightened vigilance along the Kushtia frontier, particularly in areas where similar incidents have occurred in the past.

BGB officials reiterated that border surveillance remains active and that security forces are maintaining strict monitoring to prevent further unauthorized crossings or push-in attempts. The situation along the Pragpur border is currently reported to be stable following the resolution of the standoff.