A Bangladeshi man was reportedly shot dead by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the Maheshpur border in Jhenaidah. The incident took place early Sunday (April 27) in the Madhupur area of Bagda police station, located in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India.
The deceased has been identified as Obaidul Islam, 36, a resident of Gopalpur village in Jadabpur Union under Maheshpur upazila. He was the son of Hanef Ali.
According to locals, Obaidul and 7–8 others crossed into India on Saturday night. Members of the BSF from the Madhupur camp intercepted the group. While the others managed to escape, Obaidul was caught. Villagers reported hearing gunshots around 1 a.m., leading to speculation that Obaidul was shot dead on the spot.
Village police officer Omar Ali said he went to Obaidul’s house after hearing about the incident, where he found the family in mourning. Local Union Parishad member Babul Hossain also confirmed hearing gunshots across the border and said that Obaidul has been missing since the incident. A body found on the Indian side is believed to be his.
Havildar Mofizul Islam, commander of the Jadabpur BGB outpost, said they are investigating the matter after hearing about it from locals. No official complaint has yet been lodged by the victim’s family.
Lt. Col. Rafiqul Alam, commander of the Maheshpur-58 BGB Battalion, told the media that the BSF battalion commander from Madhupur contacted him Sunday morning and informed him that a body had been found on Indian territory. It was not immediately clear whether the body was that of a Bangladeshi or an Indian national. Indian police from Bagda station later recovered the body.
This incident comes just weeks after a similar tragedy. On April 8, another Bangladeshi youth named Wasim was allegedly killed by the BSF near the Paliyanpur border in the same upazila. His body was thrown into the Ichamati River, according to his family.
Wasim’s brother Mehedi Hasan claimed that Wasim and several others crossed into India that day. While returning, the BSF chased them. Though the others managed to escape, Wasim was caught, tortured, and killed, Mehedi alleges. His body was dumped in the river.
Although the BGB requested the body’s return, legal and visa complications have delayed the process for 19 days. Indian police have reportedly asked for proper documentation and identification before the body can be handed over. However, Wasim’s family says they lack the means to travel to India and complete the process.
A growing number of cross-border shooting incidents have sparked concern among local residents and human rights groups alike.
