Nearly 1,300 prisoners have escaped from different prisons in Bangladesh following the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, raising concerns that they may attempt to enter India armed, the BSF was informed by security agencies, as reported in the media.
Security agencies, as per reports, have alerted the Border Security Force (BSF) about the potential threat. The deployment of numerous officers from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to restore order in the conflict-ridden nation has reportedly weakened border security, the report said.
The report quoted a senior BSF officer as saying, “Information is being exchanged at all levels of both forces, such as commandants, nodal officers, frontiers IGs, and other ranks, information is being exchanged.”
Border smuggling hotspots
The South and North Bengal border, the longest among all the states, is marked by barbed wire fences across open fields. In other areas, water bodies serve as the natural boundary between the two countries. These regions are hotspots for the smuggling of cattle, gold, drugs, medicines, fish, and eggs.
Bangladesh has been engulfed in violent protests for several weeks, resulting in over 300 deaths. Former PM Sheikh Hasina was compelled to step down and flee to India in a dramatic turn of events early Monday. While her resignation has somewhat calmed the protests, attacks on her supporters and leaders continue, leading many to seek refuge in neighbouring countries, the report further said.
