Indian teenager arrested at Panchagarh border, later returned by BGB

 Indian teenager arrested at Panchagarh border, later returned by BGB

A 13-year-old boy from India has been detained by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on charges of illegal border crossing at the Shingroad border in Panchagarh. After a flag meeting with the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday afternoon, the boy was handed over to them.

The detained boy is a resident of the Sitshakhati area in the Manikganj police station of the Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal. He was caught on Monday night near the 8th sub-pillar of the 767 main pillar under the responsibility of the Shingroad BOP in the Chaklahat union of Panchagarh Sadar Upazila. This information was provided in a press release by the Nilphamari 56 BGB battalion.

According to BGB, they received secret information on Monday night about an Indian citizen crossing the zero line into Bangladesh. At around 11:30 PM, the BGB conducted an operation and detained the boy, who had entered 150 yards into Bangladesh from the zero line. He was found with an Indian SIM card and a mobile phone.

During initial interrogation, the boy stated that he had illegally entered Bangladesh to attend a religious gathering (Waz Mahfil) in the Joydhorbhanga-Nekipara area of Chaklahat Union. Later, the BSF requested a flag meeting, which was held at the company commander level between BGB and BSF on Tuesday at noon. After confirming the boy's identity, he was handed over to the BSF.