BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui at a press conference held at the BGB headquarters in Dhaka. Photo Credit: UNB

on November 10, 2024

BGB not solely responsible for AL leaders fleeing country’

By Diplomatic Correspondent

Director General (DG) of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui has acknowledged the BGB's partial responsibility in preventing Awami League leaders and activists from fleeing the country.

“But the agency should not be solely held accountable for the situation,” he said at a press conference held at the BGB headquarters in Dhaka recently.

The DG said that the BGB has so far held 22 people identified as opponents of the anti-discrimination student movement. “Despite these arrests, a significant number of Awami League leaders and activists have still managed to escape across borders,” he recognized.

Major General Siddiqui said that while the BGB bears responsibility for the fleeing incidents, it is critical to determine whether other entities should also be held accountable.

“An investigation is necessary to ascertain who crossed which border-there can be no compromises on this matter,” he emphasized.

The DG said that a request had been made on August 6 to aid the BGB in curbing escapes through border, an initiative that was undertaken independently and without any external directive. “We have been working on this continuously. If all organizations that collect intelligence share their information, our efforts would be far more effective,” he said.

He also referred to speculations that a large number of Awami League leaders and activists had already fled the country. “Did everyone flee? I don’t think so. Some are still hiding in this densely populated country,” he asserted.

Major General Siddiqui urged journalists to assist the BGB by sharing any relevant information they might have. “You also have information. Please share it with the BGB, and we will take action. We are committed to preventing these escapes,” he said.

The BGB DG reiterated that the BGB is dedicated to fulfilling its role in safeguarding the borders and that all stakeholders must collaborate to address the ongoing issue effectively.