Two Bangladeshi border guards shot dead by BSF

Dhaka, Jul 18 (UNI) Bangladesh authorities alerted the country's northern border after two soldiers of paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) were reportedly shot dead by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in northern Chapainawabganj frontier last night.

An official at the BDR Headquarters here confirmed the incident, saying that the northern border with neighbuoring India was alerted.

The senior official who asked not to be named said the Indian BSF entered the Bangladesh territorial water while chasing some smugglers by speed boats in the Padma rivers.

As a BDR patrol team challenged, the Indian BSF opened fire killing two Bangladeshi border guards on the spot. BDR made counter fire forcing the Indian BSF to retreat. After half an hour exchange of fire, an injured Indian civilian suspected as a smuggler was captured.

The gun fight between the border guards of the two South Asian neighbours took place as the Foreign Secretaries of Bangladesh and India are holding meeting in New Delhi to resolve various bilateral issues including the border demarcation and prevent cross-border smuggling.

UNI XC NC AS1216