Sarker Shariful Islam, Rajshahi
The Border Guard Bangladesh or BGB and the Indian Border Security Force or BSF exchanged serious gun shots in Charghat in Rajshahi on Thursday morning. The incident took place reportedly over Indian fishermen crossing Bangladesh territory in Rajshahi border and fishing defying Hilsa fishing ban.
During chase to capture the fishermen BSF had opened fire forcing BGB to retaliate. According to the local sources, a Bangladeshi operational team consisting officials of the department of fisheries and the BGB were conducting, at about 11 am, a drive against local fishermen catching Hilsa fish on the river Padma. Hilsa catching is now banned for a certain period to allow breeding of eggs.
When the team found the Indian fishermen defying the ban, the security forces or BGB captured the Indian fishermen who were illegally catching Hilsa in Bangladesh waters. In protest against the BSF members opened fire towards the Bangladeshi operation team and in retaliation, BGB also opened fire.
However, some Indian media reported death of a BSF member and injury of another in the gunfire. According to a report of G-24 channel of India, during an exchange of gunfire between BSF and BGB at the zero point of Paikmari Jalangir Char under Murshedabad district of West Bengal, India, one BSF member was killed and another was injured. The deceased BSF member has been identified as Bijoy Van while the injured one named as Rajbir Singh, a head constable of BSF. He is now under treatment at Murshedabad Medical College and Hospital.
Meanwhile, till 6-00 pm Thursday, no confirmation regarding the death of BSF member in exchange of gunfire was admitted by BGB headquarters in Rajshahi.
Earlier around 3-00 pm Major Asif Bulbul of BGB, Rajshahi-1 battalion informed journalists that an Indian fisherman was captured and was under the custody of BGB and a commander level flag meeting between BGB and BSF was called at 4-00 pm and after holding the meeting, the detailed of the incident could be briefed to the media. However, after 4-00 pm, no BGB official received the phone.
On the other hand, Samit Kumar, Officer-in-charge of Charghat police station informed that the meeting of 4-00 pm has been deferred for one hour but both the parties arrived for holding the flag meeting at 5-40 pm.
Ariful Islam, Upazila Fishery Officer of Charghat who was also a member of campaign for resisting catching of Hilsa fish from the river Padma during the breeding season of the fish informed that there is a ban on catching Hilsa from river Padma during the breeding season.
To check any catching of Hilsa fish from the river, officials of Fisheries department with BGB members launched an operation in the river. During the operation they found three Indian fishermen were catching fish on a boat at the confluence of Padma and Boral rivers in Bangladeshi water.
He said, they tried to capture the fishermen but two of them managed to escape while another was captured by BGB. During this time two escapee boatmen informed the incident of capture of an Indian fisherman to Indian BSF and the BSF opened fire targeting the BGB without instigation.
In retaliation, BGB members also opened fire to save themselves and several rounds of gun fires were exchanged before the BSF members retreated from the scene. Ariful Islam further informed that the captured Indian fisherman Pronob Mondal and his fishing net for catching Hilsa have been brought to Charghat Frontier Corridor of BGB.
