Over 10,000 Bangladeshis held while attempting illegal border crossings: BSF

The BSF’s Eastern Command on Monday said it apprehended 10,263 Bangladeshis over the past year while they were attempting to infiltrate or exfiltrate through the border, underscoring heightened vigilance along the sensitive Indo-Bangla frontier, a paramilitary force said in a statement.

The force said the scale of detentions reflected intensified anti-infiltration measures, particularly during the unrest in Bangladesh, when BSF troops “burnt their midnight oil” to prevent illegal migrants from entering India.

“BSF has apprehended 10,263 Bangladeshi nationals on the Indo-Bangladesh border while attempting to infiltrate/exfiltrate into Indian territory. During the Bangladesh unrest, BSF has shown its highest degree of professionalism in border guarding due to which illegal migrants were prevented from entering into India,” the BSF Eastern Command said in a statement.

“The troops deployed on ground burnt their midnight oil to accomplish this herculean task,” it added.

Officials said the force’s ground deployment maintained its “highest degree of professionalism” during the crisis.

The BSF Eastern Command, which celebrated the force’s 61^st Raising Day, marking six decades since its formation in 1965 in the aftermath of the Indo-Pakistan War, extended greetings to all ranks and their families, urging personnel to remain upright and committed in discharging their duties.

In its annual review, the Eastern Command reported major seizures along the border over the past year, including narcotics worth Rs 376.52 crore, contraband valued at Rs 170.57 crore, and 51.389 kg of gold worth Rs 67.42 crore.