Curfew imposed along border

Curfew imposed along border

DHAKA (AFP): Bangladesh authorities have ordered troops to shoot-on-sight and imposed an indefinite night curfew along parts of the border with India amid reports of "illegal entry of foreigners," press reports said yesterday.

Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) were put on alert along the country's 4, 144-kilometer border with India to stop the "illegal intrusion, " the Morning Sun daily said.

The shoot-on-sight order was issued for the most sensitive border near the western Chuadanga district, as five Indian nationals claiming to be Bangladeshis were arrested from a nearby district Saturday, the daily said.

At least 53 Bengali-speaking Indian nationals have been arrested since last week, it said. However, BDR officials, confirming the orders said that the step was taken to check smuggling.