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be verified by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

In Naogaon, BGB said it foiled an attempt by the BSF to push nine people into Bangladesh through the Sapahar border early yesterday.

According to a press release issued by Naogaon Battalion (16 BGB), BSF personnel from the Ellenpur camp attempted to push the group -- three men, three women and three children -- through border pillar 244/MP under the Adatala border around 4:00am.

After receiving information, a BGB patrol team rushed to the spot and prevented their entry into Bangladesh. The group later remained stranded at the border’s zero line.

Border patrols had been strengthened to prevent any illegal entry into the country, said Lt Col Mohammad Ariful Islam Masum, commanding officer of 16 BGB.

In Dinajpur, four people were detained after entering Bangladesh through a border point in Dinajpur Sadar early yesterday, BGB said.

The detainees claimed that BSF personnel had allowed them to cross into Bangladesh, said Lt Col Arifuzzaman, commanding officer of BGB-29 Battalion in Phulbari.

Locals spotted the group in Shalki Duapara Patharbari village near the Bontara-Manipur border before they were taken to the Shankarpur Union Parishad office.

According to local Union Parishad member Pankaj Bashak, preliminary information suggests the detainees are residents of Mirzapur village in Narail’s Kalia upazila and had been living in India illegally for a long time.

In Kurigram’s Roumari upazila, two people who had been stranded in the no-man’s land near the Gaytapara border since June 14 went missing early yesterday.

The authorities had no information about their whereabouts, said Subedar Shafiqul Islam, commander of the Gaytapara BGB camp under Jamalpur 35 BGB Battalion.

Three other people have remained stranded under the open sky near the Bhundurchar border in Roumari in Kurigram for more than 10 days after another alleged BSF push-in attempt on June 14 was resisted by BGB and local residents.

Speaking at the West Bengal State Assembly on Tuesday, Suvendu Adhikari said India was sending back illegal immigrants every day in line with directives from the central government on national security grounds, according to Telegraph India.

On June 17, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said BGB had prevented 36 push-in attempts by the BSF since the West Bengal assembly elections.

A BGB official said vigilance along the border had been intensified amid repeated push-in attempts.

Earlier, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Dhaka had repeatedly urged Delhi to follow proper repatriation procedures, including verification of nationality before deportation.

[Our Correspondents from Bogura, Lalmonirhat and Thakurgaon contributed to the report]