Two people were killed and at least 15 others injured after members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) opened fire during, what the paramilitary force claimed, a clash with cattle smugglers in Thakurgaon on Tuesday.
The incident took place at Bahrampur village in Haripur upazila in the morning.
Police identified the dead as Nawab, 30, son of Nazrul Islam, and Sadek, 40, son of Zahir Uddin of Ruhia village.
According to local people, BGB members of Betna border camp restricted some cattle traders from going to Zaduranirhat in Ranishankoil upazila at around 11:30am, suspecting that thye cattle had been smuggled from India.
Witnesses said there had been an altercation between the two parties that ultimately turned into a full-scale clash. The BGB members then opened fire on the feuding people, killing the two men on the spot.
Superintendent of District Police Mohammad Maniruzzaman said many people were injured in the BGB firing. "They're being treated at various hospitals," he said adding, "Two of them - Mithun and Babu - are in critical condition."
Commander of BGB Thakurgaon 50 Battalion Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud said two people were killed in the BGB firing. "The BGB men opened fire in self-defence," he insisted.
The commander claimed that cattle smugglers, armed with sharp weapons, attacked the BGB troopers after they seized several smuggled cows, forcing the men to retaliate, reports UNB.
Two BGB members were also injured in the clash, he added.
