BSF apprehends Indian attempting to smuggle contraband items into B'desh

The Border Security Force (BSF) has apprehended an Indian national for allegedly attempting to smuggle contraband items to Bangladesh along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Dakshin Dinajpur district of West Bengal.

The accused, Biplab Shill (34 years), was arrested on Saturday. During the search, BSF personnel recovered 41 bottles of Phensedyl and 53 bottles of MK Dyl from his possession.

According to a BSF press release, "On 10 Aug 2024 (Saturday) at approximately 2335 hrs, acting on a tip-off, troops of BOP Dakuhara of 164 Battalion BSF under Raiganj Sector of North Bengal Frontier, deployed along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Dakshin Dinajpur district of West Bengal, apprehended an Indian national, Biplab Shill (34 years), S/o Dinabadhu Shil, R/o Vill-Balapur, PS-Tapan, Distt-Dakhin Dinajpur (West Bengal), while attempting to smuggle contraband items from India to Bangladesh."

In addition, anti-smuggling operations conducted by BSF North Bengal Frontier from 10-11 August led to the seizure of 10 cattle, 177 bottles of Phensedyl, and other contraband items valued at Rs 2,14,904/-, preventing them from being smuggled across the Indo-Bangladesh border, the force said.

Meanwhile, in light of the ongoing crisis in Bangladesh, the BSF has intensified security measures along the Indo-Bangladesh border, increasing deployment at border outposts and utilising all surveillance equipment for effective monitoring.

Bangladesh is facing a fluid political situation with Sheikh Hasina tendering her resignation from the position of Prime Minister on August 5 in the wake of mounting protests.

The protests erupted in early July due to demands for reforming the quota system that reserves civil service jobs for specific groups, including descendants of 1971 war veterans.

The unrest intensified after students opposed a new policy allocating government jobs to descendants of freedom fighters, leading to violence, including attacks on state television headquarters and police booths in Dhaka.