A Bangladeshi cattle trader was shot dead allegedly by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along Mominpara border in Panchagarh sadar upazila early Thursday.

Nuruzzaman alias Nur Alam, 33, was son of Abdul Zabbar of Bokshigonj village in Boda upazila of the district.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and locals said a group of cattle traders including Nur Alam were returning home through the border on Wednesday night. 

At one stage, a patrol team of BSF opened fire on them, leaving Nur Alam dead on the spot, they said, adding that the rest traders took away the body and left it near a tea garden.

In the morning, locals spotted the body and informed police about the matter.

AAbdul Latif, officer-in-charge of Panchagarh Sadar police station said, they recovered the body and sent it to Panchagarh Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

He assumed that Nur Alam died after being hit by bullets. 

An unnatural death case was filed in this connection.

Lt Col Asaduzzaman Hakim, commandant of the BGB-56 (Nilphamari), said they held a flag meeting with the BSF-21 on Zero Line in this regard on Thursday morning.

“The BSF claimed that the smugglers attacked their force members when they were patrolling, in reply the BSF members opened fire but they don't know whether anyone was killed,” the BGB officer said.

He said they condemned the incident from the Bangladesh side