The BSF rescued 10 Bangladeshis from drowning in the Ganga near the India-Bangladesh international border in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district. They included a 30-day-old baby and three women.
The incident took place near the Khandua Border Outpost on Saturday evening. Personnel from the 71st Battalion spotted the people in distress and launched a rescue operation using a speedboat. During the monsoon, the Ganga becomes up to 100 feet deep in several areas of this part of Bengal.
According to officials, all the people were travelling from Chapai Nawabganj to Joharpur in Bangladesh. Their boat suddenly capsized, causing them to fall into the river and drift towards the Indian side.
Illegal crossings by river are deadly
During the rainy season, the Ganga river’s current becomes very strong, causing ramshackle boats to capsize instantly.
There is no wire fencing along the river route here, so people lose their way. In addition, reaching anyone in need of help during an accident is extremely difficult amid the strong current and darkness at night.
Jawan helped them using a speedboat
The rescued Bangladeshis said they were residents of Joharpur village. The BSF reached them with the help of a speedboat and brought everyone out.
BSF personnel provided first aid to everyone. They were then taken to a government hospital. After their condition became stable, the BSF handed all the Bangladeshis over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials.
CBMP between India and Bangladesh
India and Bangladesh’s border security forces have a joint agreement known as the Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP). Its main objective is to prevent illegal activities such as infiltration, human trafficking, and the smuggling of weapons and narcotics along the border between the two countries, while maintaining peace through mutual coordination.
Under the plan, the two forces conduct joint patrols in sensitive areas and assist each other in any emergency or humanitarian crisis.
This vigilance becomes especially crucial during the monsoon, as the Ganga rises above the danger mark and small, dilapidated boats can capsize in the blink of an eye because of the strong current.
Fencing is impossible in riverine areas, creating the risk of people losing their way, while the darkness of night and the raging waters make it extremely challenging for rescue teams to arrive on time.
