The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) yesterday handed over five Bangladeshi women to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) through a company commander-level flag meeting at the Banglabandha border in Panchagarh's Tetulia upazila.

The meeting was held yesterday afternoon at the zero line near pillar no 733/2-S, where Banglabandha Border Outpost Company Commander Subedar Md Shafiqul Islam represented the Bangladeshi side, while the Fulbari BSF Camp Commander led the Indian side.

According to BGB, Indian police detained the women from various locations in Gujarat on May 16 and placed them in a women's shelter in Mumbai. They were later handed over to the BSF at Fulbari camp.

Lt Col Md Monirul Islam, commanding officer of the 18 BGB Battalion in Panchagarh, said the detainees -- hailing from Dhaka, Satkhira, Magura and Bagerhat -- had illegally entered India about a year ago in search of work.

After receiving them, BGB handed the women over to Tetulia police, who later released them to their families upon verifying their identities.

Md Musa Miah, officer-in-charge of Tetulia Model Police Station, said the handover to relatives was completed the same evening following due legal procedures.