The chief of the 45,000-strong frontier guards, the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), Major General Fazlur Rahman, has been transferred, sources said.

General Rahman's deputy, Brigadier General Abdus Salam Chowdhury, and Director of Operations Colonel Rafiqur Rahman, who holds the third crucial position in the BDR, have also been posted out of the BDR, the sources added.

Major General Fazlur Rahman will be replaced by Major General Ishaq Ibrahim in command of the Bogra Division and promoted to the rank of Major General last month. General Rahman will take over the Bogra Division.

He joined the Bangladesh Army during the War of Liberation and is known for his gallantry and professionalism. He also wrote a book on Tactics of War, recommended reading for military science students.

He shot to fame when he vacated Padua (known in India as Pyrdiwah) in military action on the night of April 15 after the Indian border forces built a road link. Later, an intrusion of BSF forces in Roumari was successfully repulsed. The skirmishes led to the deaths of 16 Indian border guards and three BDR personnel.

Major General Fazlur Rahman has since been appreciated widely for his decisive actions and is seen here as the "Hero of Padua". He annoyed the Indians and there was strong demand for his removal.

Immediately after the April events, Rahman said he and his forces carried out the mandated task which was to preserve territorial integrity. Government officials termed the transfers "routine". But defence analysts said the transfer of the three top-ranking officials in the BDR hierarchy ordered almost simultaneously is "highly uncommon and unusual".

They also said the action, only two days before the Dhaka-Delhi border talks "is significant". General Rahman and his colleagues were very familiar with the management of outstanding border problems. An Indian delegation arrived yesterday to begin three-day border talks in Dhaka from today.