12 stranded in border no-man's land amid push-in, push-back dispute

For the third consecutive day, a group of 12 people, including women and children, remain stranded in the no-man's land along the Bangladesh-India border. The individuals are caught in a stalemate between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF), with no immediate resolution in sight.

The group was first pushed into Bangladeshi territory by the BSF early Friday morning. After being spotted by local residents and reported to the BGB, they were escorted back to the no-man's land. Since then, they have endured two days and nights in the precarious strip of land situated beside a jute field on the banks of the Mathabhanga River. Bangladeshis have been providing them with drinking water by crossing a bamboo bridge.

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We cannot endure this any longer in such extreme heat with our children. Please make some arrangement for us. Otherwise, do whatever you decide to do. We cannot bear this anymore.

A video circulating shows the group huddled together, with children appearing unwell and one mother holding a sleeping infant. One individual pleaded for arrangements to be made, stating, "We cannot endure this any longer in such extreme heat with our children." They claimed to possess all necessary documents and urged authorities to investigate.

A flag meeting held between the BGB and BSF yesterday morning failed to resolve the standoff. Lt Col Rashed Kamal Rony, commanding officer of BGB-47 Battalion, stated after the meeting that the BSF would inform them of its final decision after verifying the group's documents. As of this evening, the BGB official confirmed that the matter remains unresolved, leaving the stranded individuals in an uncertain and difficult situation.

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The BSF will inform us of its final decision after verifying the documents of the 12 individuals. For now, the matter remains unresolved.