A Bangladeshi youth was shot dead by members of Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) in the Jagodal area in Ranishankail upazila yesterday afternoon. With this latest incident of shooting, three Bangladeshi youths have been killed by the Indian BSF in the last 10 days. The deceased was identified as Babu, 18, son of Ekramul Haque, a resident of Maradhar village in Haripur upazila. Locals said BSF members of Kokradah camp opened fire on a group of Bangladeshi nationals around 4 pm while they were returning to Bangladesh near border pillar no. 374, leaving Babu dead on the spot. Babu had crossed the border without valid documents, they added.

Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud, commander of BGB Thakurgaon-50 Battalion, said they have learned about the firing. "We called a flag meeting with BSF on Tuesday," he said

On January 18, Bangladeshi youth Jahangir Alam Raju was shot dead by BSF inside Indian territory along Dharmagarh border in Thakurgaon. On January 22, Jenarul, son of Tofail of Taldangi village in Haripur upazila, was shot dead by BSF in the same district.

After dropping to their lowest level in 2018 since records started being kept, the 3 killings in the space of just 10 days, may represent an unwelcome reversal of that in 2019.