Over 200 Bangladeshi nationals, who made an abortive attempt to sneak into Indian territory by fording a narrow river dividing the two countries on Saturday evening, have returned to that country, a top police official said on Sunday.

Deputy Inspector of General (Murshidabad range) D P Tarania told PTI in Karimpur that the Bangladeshi nationals returned after the BSF personnel prevented them from entering India by crossing the Mathabhanga river in West Bengal's Nadia district.

The Bangladeshis had later encamped at Nimtala ghat on the other side of the river in the night.

Tarania said Bangladeshis often try to enter India illegally and sometimes security personnel resort to firing to prevent their infiltration bid.

On Friday, the BSF had prevented 15 Bangladeshis, including women and children, from entering India at Sonarpur in South Dinajpur district.

On February six, the BDR had taken back 213 of its nationals from Satgachi in Cooch Behar district in the face of
diplomatic pressure.

The Bangladeshi border guards had forced this group, mostly snake charmers and their families, on to the no-man's-land at gun point in the early hours of January 31.