BSF Returns 12 at Kustia Border

Twelve individuals, including four children, who were earlier pushed towards the zero line at the Kustia border in Doulatpur upazila, were taken back into Indian territory by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) following a flag meeting held between the border forces on Monday at around 11:00am.

The development came approximately 78 hours after the group had been left stranded at the international border area after an attempted push-in on Friday morning. The situation had led to a prolonged period of uncertainty for the individuals, who remained in the border’s zero line zone during the intervening days.

According to confirmed information provided by Lieutenant Colonel Rashad Kamal, commander of Kustia Battalion-47, the matter was resolved through a coordinated flag meeting between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the BSF. He stated that the border areas under Kustia’s jurisdiction are currently calm and stable following the resolution of the incident.

The initial incident occurred at around 5:00am on Friday, when the BSF attempted to push the 12 individuals into Bangladeshi territory through the Pragpur border point in Doulatpur upazila. However, members of the BGB, along with local residents near the border, intervened and prevented their entry into Bangladesh. As a result, the group remained stranded in the zero line area between the two countries.

A first round of flag talks between the two border forces had earlier indicated that the BSF was in the process of verifying whether the individuals were Indian nationals. The BSF stated that if their nationality was confirmed, they would be taken back accordingly. However, according to a BGB official, the Bangladesh side maintained its position that it was not conducting any verification of their identity.

This divergence in approach led to a prolonged standoff situation along the border, during which the 12 individuals remained in the exposed zero line area for nearly three days. Reports confirmed that they experienced significant hardship during this period, including lack of adequate food and health-related difficulties. Local residents reportedly provided limited food assistance discreetly. The group spent both day and night in the vicinity of paddy field embankments in the border area.

A second flag meeting was held on Monday morning at around 10:30am near border pillar 148/3-S, where representatives from both BGB and BSF engaged in discussions to resolve the situation. Following the conclusion of this meeting, the BSF personnel took custody of the individuals and escorted them back across the border into Indian territory through the fenced area.

Timeline of Events

Following the resolution, Lieutenant Colonel Rashad Kamal confirmed that the overall situation in the border areas under Kustia remains normal and under control. The coordinated action through the flag meeting brought an end to the multi-day standoff at the border zero line.