The chief of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has described the clashes at a Thakurgaon village between locals and his force, which left three people dead, as ‘unfortunate and uncalled-for’.
"This is an unfortunate incident. I spoke to the locals and we all agreed that it was uncalled-for," Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam told the media at the Thakurgaon Circuit House on Monday (Feb 17).
On Feb 12, three people were shot dead while dozens received gunshot injuries in the bordering village of Bahrampur in the northern district when clashes erupted between BGB troopers and locals over the seizure of a cow.
According to the BGB troopers, they were forced to open fire when the smugglers attacked them with sharp weapons en route to the border outpost.
But locals alleged that they were on their way to the market to sell the cows when the BGB seized the livestock. BGB personnel had been seizing cattle from the village for nearly a month, they added.
“The incident is equally unexpected to the locals and us,” the BGB director general said.
Asked whether the BGB could have handled the situation without opening fire on civilians, Maj Gen Islam said the investigation will determine what should have been done or why gunshots were fired.
“I can’t make any comment until the inquiry is over,” he said before adding a five-strong panel led by the BGB additional director general is in charge of the investigation.
On Feb 13, BGB filed two cases against some 275 villagers of Baharampur village in Thakurgaon's Haripur Upazila, including two deceased, in connection with the incident.
Asked whether the cases against the villagers will be withdrawn, BGB chief Islam said they would look into the matter. "We have discussed it with the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police in Thakurgaon.”