The sound of gunfire has stopped across the border, but the crying has not ceased at a home in the Murai Chhara slum in Kulaura. The entire house has been filled with grief as relatives mourn the death of a young man from Moulvibazar’s Kulaura who was shot dead by India’s Border Security Force (BSF).
Tara Mia, 20, son of Abdul Malek of the Murai Chhara slum area, was killed in BSF firing inside India, according to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
The tragedy has left the family devastated, while relatives are also calling for effective measures to prevent young people from being drawn into smuggling networks.
According to the BGB, Tara Mia was killed around 4am on Sunday (August 9) when a group of smugglers entered the Maguruli area inside India, opposite Prithimpasha Union of Kulaura.
Lieutenant Colonel Sarker Asif Mahmud, commander of the Sreemangal Battalion of BGB-46, confirmed the incident and said a smuggling case had also been filed against Tara Mia.
However, family members alleged that smugglers avoid taking risks themselves and instead lure teenagers and young men with various promises and send them across the border. They warned that unless the trend is stopped, more young lives could be lost in the future.
Tara’s elder brother, Raju, said, “My brother was not poor. We have a house and even a vehicle. The smugglers pressured my brother and took him with them.”
Describing the events, Raju said he was at Robir Bazar around 2am when someone called and told him that Tara Mia could not be found and needed to be searched for. He later learned that his brother had gone towards the border.
“Smugglers do not go themselves to collect the goods. They lure young boys and send them to bring the goods. A 13-year-old boy who lived next door to me was also shot dead by the BSF about a year and a half ago. My brother is gone, and I will never get him back. I want no one else to get involved in this work and no other family to lose a loved one like this,” Raju said.
Another brother of the deceased, Razak Ali, said, “We want justice for those who took my brother and pushed him towards his death.”
In a tearful voice, Tara Mia’s mother said, “I always told them not to take my son into this. Even then, they took my son away. I want justice for my son.”
The family has demanded that Tara Mia’s body be brought back to Bangladesh as soon as possible and handed over to them. They have also called for effective measures to curb smuggling and stronger administrative monitoring to prevent young people in border areas from becoming involved in such dangerous activities.
