Schoolboy killed near Dainpur border

A Bangladeshi teenager was shot dead allegedly by the Indian Border Security Force near Dainur border in Dinajpur Sadar on Wednesday, the same day Bangladesh and India issued a joint statement promising to bring the number of border killings down to zero.

The killing happened when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was still in India.

Minarul Islam, 17, a grade-IX student of Khanpur High School, was shot around 9:00pm, said Tanvirul Islam, officer-in-charge of Dinajpur Sadar Police Station.

Kamalpur Union Parishad Chairman Abu Bakkar Siddique said Minarul and some others intruded into Indian territory to fetch dried turtle from India.

As they approached the barbed wire fence, the BSF jawans of Hariharpur BOP under 174 BSF Battalion opened fire, leaving the boy dead on the spot, he said.

People who were accompanying the victim managed to flee, he further said.

Despite repeated attempts, The Daily Star could not reach the high officials of 29th BGB Battalion in Phulbari.

Naik Subedar Akhter Hossain of BPO under Phulabari 29th BGB Battalion said, they have sent a protest letter to BSF in this connection.

A flag meeting between the BGB and the BSF will be held tomorrow, he further informed.