BSF, BGB standoff ends; BSF says all 40 Bangladeshis returned
What's the story
A tense standoff between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at four points along the India-Bangladesh border in Bengal ended abruptly. The confrontation lasted overnight and involved around 40 Bangladeshi nationals who were stranded at zero points since Friday. By Saturday morning, all of them had disappeared, The Times of India reported. The most intense standoff was at Pillar No. 134 in Panishala, Cooch Behar's Mekhliganj.
Standoff details
Most intense standoff at Pillar No. 134
The confrontation at Pillar No. 134 reportedly saw 10 people stranded after BGB refused to accept them, alleging they were being "illegally pushed back" from India. The BSF sought a flag meeting, which the BGB declined. After hours of standoff and a major altercation in the early hours of Saturday, the BGB backed down. The BSF confirmed that all those stranded had returned to Bangladesh.
Push-back claims
BGB claims to have foiled BSF 'push-backs'
Despite the resolution of immediate standoffs, the BGB claimed to have foiled eight separate BSF "push-back" attempts in the previous 24 hours. The incidents cited by BGB included three people being stopped at the Jadabpur border near North 24 Parganas and Nadia, 17 turned back at the Karmudanga border near South Dinajpur, and 21 blocked at Barkhata and Payashottibari borders near Dhubri in Assam. Seven were also prevented from crossing the Dighaltari border near Cooch Behar.
Deportation context
Deportation of illegal immigrants
The standoff comes as the new Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal speeds up the identification and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi nationals. The central government has also asked Dhaka to speed up the verification of suspected illegal immigrants for deportations. In this backdrop, BSF has increased vigilance along the border.