The Border Interaction Team of ‘C’ Coy, 41st Battalion, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Panitanki apprehended two Bangladeshi nationals at the old bridge, Panitanki, while they were attempting to illegally cross the international border from Nepal into India. The location of interception was approximately 200 meters inside Indian territory near Border Pillar No. 90/1 said SSB officials.
The arrested two were identified as M Noor Hossen Khondokar (41years) of Baurpathor, Parshuram Paurashava, Parshuram, Feni, and Md Omar Faruqe Arman (27 years) of Madaripur Sadar, Madra in Bangladesh.
Mobile phones with SIM cards of Nepal and Bangladesh, disability ID cards and other vital documents.
SSB officials during interrogation revealed that Md Noor Hossen Khondokar, a pickup driver by profession, had illegally entered India through the Sylhet–Tripura route with the help of a Bangladeshi agent named Sohag, and had travelled to Nepal by train with him approximately 8–9 months ago.
The agent Sohag had promised to send him to Romania and charged him 12 lakh Bangladeshi Taka. After about 3 months, the agent returned to Bangladesh, taking Noor Hossen Khondokar’s passport with him, due to which he got stranded in Nepal. The second suspect, Md Omar Farukh Arman, had flown from Dhaka to Kathmandu on 08 January 2025 with the help of another Bangladeshi agent named Nisaruddin, who had promised to send him to Croatia and then France, in return for 20 lakh Bangladeshi Taka.
Arman stayed at Hotel Bangla in Kathmandu. His Nepal visa was valid for one month only. After expiry of the visa, Nisaruddin initially sent him some money for 3–4 months. Later, a person was sent to collect Arman’s passport, but the passport was neither returned nor renewed. Eventually, agent Nisaruddin stopped all communication, leaving Arman stranded in Nepal.
Subsequently, Arman met the other suspect Noor Hossen Khondokar. In Nepal, a Bangladeshi agent named Hasan provided them with the contact number of an Indian agent named Foni Roy, who assured them that he could help them return to Bangladesh via Nilphamari. As per the suspects, they contacted Foni Roy, who instructed them to come to Kakarvitta, where he met them and collected NPR 25,000 from them. He claimed he would return after converting the money into Indian currency.
However, the agent did not return even after over an hour. Confused and uncertain, both suspects hired a battery rickshaw (Toto) and proceeded towards Panitanki, where they were successfully intercepted by the Border Interaction Team of ‘C’ Coy, 41st Bn SSB Panitanki. Both suspected Bangladeshi nationals are being handed over to Police Station Kharibari after due medical examination and documentation for further legal proceedings. EOM
