Md. Arfan Hossain, the younger brother of Felani Khatun — the teenage girl who was shot dead by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) on January 7, 2011 — has secured a position in the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
Arfan successfully passed the recruitment test organized by Lalmonirhat Battalion (15 BGB) on February 23. On Thursday (September 18), at the battalion headquarters in Lalmonirhat, Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Imam formally handed him the appointment letter. He will begin his official training at the training center tomorrow (September 19).
Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Imam said BGB has always stood beside Felani’s family. He expressed hope that Arfan will emerge as a competent member of BGB and dedicate himself to serving the motherland. He also assured that BGB remains vigilant to prevent brutal incidents like Felani’s killing on the border.
It may be recalled that 15-year-old Felani Khatun was killed by BSF firing along the Cooch Behar border in India on January 7, 2011. The heartbreaking image of her body hanging from the barbed-wire fence shocked the nation and drew international outrage. Her family has long been fighting for justice.
Arfan’s recruitment into BGB brings a ray of hope amid the family’s enduring grief.