Staff Reporter :
A writ petition has been filed with the High Court (HC) on Thursday seeking its directive upon the government to give adequate compensation to the family members of those who were killed and injured in a clash between locals and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members in Thakurgaon.
Three persons were killed and at least 20 others suffered bullet wounds on Tuesday as members of BGB patrol team opened fire following a scuffle with locals in the district.
Advocate Tonoy Kumer Saha, a Supreme Court lawyer, submitted the petition to the HC yesterday.
The SC lawyer said, BGB action upon the villagers was “illegal” as their duty is to protect the border area.
The constitutional right of the people, who were killed and injured during the clash, has been damaged due to the BGB action, he said in his petition. The HC may hear the petition next week.
Md Moniruzzaman, Superintendent of Police in Thakurgaon, on Tuesday said that acting on a tip-off, a patrol team of Border Guard Bangladesh went to the village in Haripur Upazila by a locally made three-wheeler in the morning to seize smuggled cattle. At one stage, the BGB personnel locked into an altercation with villagers, who encircled them. The BGB men failed to calm the villagers, and opened fire, the SP told the media.
At least three people were killed and at least 20 others suffered bullet wounds as members of a BGB patrol team opened fire. Speaking at a press conference, Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud, Commanding Officer of the 50 BGB Battalion, said, BGB personnel had to fire in self-defence as a gang of cattle smugglers attacked them at Bahrampur village.
However, villagers alleged that BGB personnel from Betna Camp shot at them as they tried to prevent the BGB team from taking their cattle to the camp.
The dead were identified as Nabab, 35, son of Nazrul; Sadek, 45, son of Jahiruddin from Ruhia village; and Joynul Islam, 12, son of Nur Islam from Bahrampur village.
