8 July 2024 | Banglabandha, Panchagarh, Bangladesh
On 8 July 2024, a 45-year-old Hijra person named Kiran, also known as Raju, was found seriously injured near the Banglabandha border in Tetulia upazila of Panchagarh after allegedly being brutally beaten by members of India’s Border Security Force (BSF). Kiran, a resident of Fatullah in Narayanganj, said that she had travelled to the Banglabandha border with ten other Hijra people intending to enter India in search of work. According to her account, a member of the group contacted a local broker who arranged to take them across the border in exchange for Tk 10,000 per person. At around 1:00 a.m., during heavy rain, the group attempted to cross the border near main pillar 732 and sub-pillar 5. While the other members of the group managed to proceed, Kiran, who had difficulty walking, stumbled and fell behind. BSF personnel then detained her. Kiran alleged that five BSF members repeatedly assaulted her with sticks and rifle butts. She said that during the beating she held their hands and feet, begged for forgiveness and told them that she had only recently come to the area, had made a mistake and would never return. Despite her pleas, she alleged that the five armed BSF personnel continued beating her, leaving her seriously injured.
At around 8:00 a.m., members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) found Kiran lying injured and bleeding on the Bangladesh side of the border and rescued her. She was initially taken to Tetulia Upazila Health Complex and later transferred to Panchagarh Modern Sadar Hospital as her condition required further treatment. Medical personnel reported injuries to her face and left arm, including indications of a fracture, and arrangements were subsequently made to transfer her to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. Lieutenant Colonel Ziaul Haque, commander of the Panchagarh 18 BGB Battalion, said that BGB had learned from Kiran that she had been assaulted by BSF personnel and had arranged her medical treatment after rescuing her from the border area. BGB also initiated communication with the BSF for a company commander-level flag meeting over the incident. At the same time, BGB stated that legal proceedings were being considered against Kiran for allegedly attempting to cross the international border without authorization.
References
Prothom Alo — বাংলাবান্ধা সীমান্তে বিএসএফের নির্যাতনে রক্তাক্ত হিজড়া কাতরাচ্ছেন হাসপাতালে
Jamuna Television — অবৈধভাবে সীমান্ত পেরোনোর চেষ্টা, হিজড়ার হাত-পা ভেঙে দিলো বিএসএফ
Independent Television — হিজড়াকে ‘পিটিয়ে’ সীমান্তে ফেলে গেল বিএসএফ
RTV — হিজড়াকে মেরে হাত-পা ভেঙে সীমান্তে ফেলে গেল বিএসএফ
Jago News 24 — বিএসএফের বিরুদ্ধে তৃতীয় লিঙ্গের একজনকে নির্যাতনের অভিযোগ
DBC News — বাংলাবান্ধা সীমান্তে এক বাংলাদেশিকে নির্যাতন বিএসএফের
Dhaka Post — ভারতে অনুপ্রবেশের চেষ্টা করায় বাংলাদেশির হাত ভেঙে দিল বিএসএফ
