We do not push-in anyone like India, believe in diplomatic solutions, said Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd.).
The advisor made these comments while briefing journalists after inaugurating the “Boising Floating BOP” to ensure border security at the junction of the Raimangal River and the Boising Canal in Shyamnagar Upazila of Satkhira district on Saturday (May 17, 2025) morning.
The advisor said that Bangladesh believes in diplomatic solutions to prevent push-in problems through various borders by India under the guise of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has always followed international law and protocol. We have already written a letter to India through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resolve this problem. Our Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain and the National Security Advisor and Principal Advisor on Rohingya Affairs Khalilur Rahman, High Representative, have continued diplomatic communication to resolve this issue.
The advisor further said, we have told India that if any Bangladeshi is illegally staying in India, they should send them through the appropriate authorities. And if there are illegal Indian citizens in Bangladesh, we will send them back to India through the appropriate channels. Therefore, the Indian side has been asked to send them back through the appropriate channels instead of pushing them. He said, yesterday, India tried to push them in at the Brahmanbaria border, which was repelled with the help of BGB, Ansar and local people. He said, if everyone in the border area is united and cooperates, India will not be able to push them in.
Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd.) said, India has demolished a Bengali slum located in Gujarat. Some Rohingya from our country also went there. The push-in started after the demolition of that slum. Among the people pushed into Bangladesh, there are some Rohingyas with UNHCR cards. They are also pushing Indian Rohingyas back to Bangladesh. That is why we have sent a protest letter.
In response to a question from journalists regarding whether Bangladesh intends to push back in the same way since India has pushed in 370 people, the advisor said, “If they are citizens of my country, then we have no right to push back.” He said, “We will not push back the illegal Indians in our country like this. We will send them back through the appropriate channels. Because push-in or push-back is not a legal procedure.”
The advisor also said that this floating BOP, operated by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), is an operational platform that will strengthen patrolling and surveillance in the border areas by water. He said, “Boesing Floating BOP” is not just an installation, it is a strategic security measure, which reflects the BGB’s commitment to ensuring peace, stability and public safety in the border area. This initiative will play a leading role in establishing a new security culture at the border and will be helpful in effective border management.
The Home Affairs Advisor said that the process of forming a special “Riverine Border Guard Battalion” under the BGB to ensure effective water-based surveillance at the border is under process, which will play a groundbreaking role in border management in the future. The Advisor said that it is difficult to maintain regular patrolling and security by land in the vast wetlands and river-lined border areas of the Sundarbans. This floating BOP will help the BGB ensure immediate and effective response to prevent smuggling, human trafficking, plunder of forest resources and border crimes.
It is worth noting that out of the 4,156 km Bangladesh-India border, 180 km is riverine, of which about 79 km is part of the Sundarbans. Earlier, two floating BOPs were set up, one in Kanchikata and the other in Atharobek. In that vein, the third floating BOP was inaugurated today in Boising.
Bangladesh Coast Guard Director General Rear Admiral Md. Ziaul Haque, BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui and others were present during the inauguration of the “Boising Floating BOP”.
Later, the advisor visited the Nildumur Battalion of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) located in Shyamnagar Upazila of Satkhira district. There, he planted a tree and delivered a welcome speech to the members of the battalion.
