Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said border killing is a matter of shame for India as Bangladeshis are losing their lives. It’s unfortunate for us he said at a media briefing on Sunday. Mr. Momen’s statement came a couple of days after the Indian BSF killed two Bangladeshis at Lalmonirhat border. We usually hear such statements issued from Dhaka whenever the number of deaths rises. It becomes a routine for the Foreign Ministry – that sounds much but does very little. On the other hand, Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami said on Monday apparently in response to Mr. Momen’s statement that border killings are tragic and unexpected for both countries. ‘We do not want border killings in any country,’ he said. Interestingly, this is also nothing but a diplomatic stunt.
Undoubtedly, killing any innocent civilian is painful. One thing that is clear from Mr. Momen and Mr. Doraiswami’s statements is that BSF has been continuing killings though there was a verbal decision — taken at the level of heads of government and also at various other levels — that no lethal weapon should be used along the border. The BSF doesn’t obey the order. Even, Dhaka and Delhi had agreed to bring down deaths of civilians to a zero level during Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh in March. But it also didn’t work. In 2017, about 25 people were killed and 39 injured in the BSF firing. The number of deaths was 11 in 2018 when 24 were injured.
In 2019, 41 people were gunned down and 40 others received bullet wounds. The number of deaths rose to 51 in 2020 when 27 were injured. The Bangladesh-India border is called the most dreadful border in the world. BSF here apparently follows the rule – shoot at sight.
According to a rights organisation report, around 1,000 Bangladeshi civilians were killed by BSF in a period of 10 years from 2001 to 2010. Another rights organisation said total of 1,236 Bangladeshis were killed and 1,145 others injured in BSF shooting from 2000 to 2020. There are widespread allegations that apart from legal trade and commerce, the border is also used as a route for smuggling livestock, food items, gold, arms, medicines and drugs by the nationals from both sides. So, the responsibility should not lie only on Dhaka’s shoulder. It seems very strange to us as to how BSF can disobey its government’s order. Actually, killing Bangladeshi nationals along the border by BSF is very common. But killing or torture of Indian nationals by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is very rare. We do not say BGB should follow BSF’s examples. However, border killings must stop.
