Netrokona, July 10 (V7N) – In a pre-dawn incident on Thursday, 21 Bangladeshi nationals were forcibly sent across the India-Bangladesh border into the Durgapur upazila of Netrokona district by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), according to official sources.

The group includes 19 individuals identified as belonging to the third-gender community and two adult males. They were detained by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at around 5:00 AM near the Bijoypur border point. The individuals had reportedly entered through border pillar 1148/4-S and were apprehended approximately 100 yards inside Bangladesh territory in the Aarapara area.

Lieutenant Colonel A.S.M. Kamruzzaman, commanding officer of the 31 BGB Battalion, confirmed the incident to local media and stated that the detainees hail from various regions across Bangladesh, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajbari, Patuakhali, Moulvibazar, Jamalpur, Tangail, and Brahmanbaria.

According to BGB officials, the group was intercepted during routine patrol operations after being pushed into Bangladeshi territory without prior notice or coordination. Authorities are currently verifying the identities of the individuals, and the process of transferring them to Durgapur Police Station is underway.

The incident raises concerns over repeated cross-border pushbacks, particularly involving vulnerable populations such as the third-gender community. Diplomatic protocols and human rights obligations may come into question following such unilateral actions.

No official statement has yet been issued by the Indian High Commission or the BSF regarding the circumstances of the pushback.

This event underscores the need for transparent and humane border management practices, especially in areas where social and political sensitivities converge.

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