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Killing on border by BSF is the most contentious issue

Published : Sunday, 28 January, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 743
Nizam Ahmed
Killing of alleged Bangladeshi smugglers and trespassers on the borders by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has been the most contentious issue between the two friendly countries for decades.

Every year dozens of Bangladeshis are killed by BSF on the different spots of the 4,096-kilometre-long international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world. More than 2,000 Bangladeshis have been killed by the BSF from 2001 to 2023, according to rights groups and media reports.

Out of many contentious issues, both the countries have resolved several through discussions, agreements and international arbitrations over the last 27 years since 1977. But the killing of people on the border, could not be stopped and the issue still often sour the Bangladesh-India friendly relations time to time.

So far the two countries have solved some issues and pertinent of them are, the Ganges (Padma) River water sharing issue,  land-boundary and enclave disputes, and Bay of Bengal maritime contention. However, there are still many disputes of political, economic, commercial, boundary, water sharing etc, remain pending between the two countries. Both sides hope that the disputes will be settled through political and diplomatic drives.

However, the issue of the killing people on the border by BSF, remain unresolved despite repeated assurances from India. In every high level meeting between the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the former repeatedly assure that measures would be taken to bring the killing at zero.

But, in several times, killing on the Bangladesh-India border occurred during or immediately after the BSF-BGB meetings. These repeated incidents of killing confuse the people, who gradually lose confidence largely on the commitment of the BSF and particularly on the union government of India.

The issue of the border killing has come up with greater mass attention recently when a BGB soldier Mohammad Rais Uddin, 35, was killed by BSF along the Dhanyokhola-Jelepara border in Benapole upazila of Jashore on January 22, last. BGB said he went missing in dense fog when a BGB team challenged a gang of cattle smugglers as they tried to intrude into Bangladesh from India.

But Indian media quoting BSF said BGB soldier was involved in cattle smuggling and sneaked into the Indian territory in Bongaon in North 24-Parganas along with smugglers. The BSF said they attacked the on-duty BSF personnel in a bid to take away a cattle herd through an unfenced stretch of the border.

The conflicting statements of BGB and BSF suggest that the BGB soldier was killed in a mysterious situation while acting against cattle smuggling. According to BGB, Rais Uddin was in uniform while trying to resist cattle smuggling in dense fog.

But according to BSF, Rais Uddin clad in lungi and T-shirt was injured. He died at  a government hospital in Bongaon. The conflicting version of the BSF and BGB has confused the concerned people, who believe, when Rais Uddin was found to be a BGB man, BSF branded him as a civilian, in order to avoid responsibilities in killing a border guard of the neighbouring country.

According to records, standoff, skirmishes and exchange of fire between the BSF and BGB had occurred a number of times since the birth of Bangladesh, which was actively assisted by the Indian government and its armed forces in running the nine-month-long guerrilla warfare against Pakistan occupational army in 1971.

The records says, on April 20, 2001, sixteen BSF soldiers were killed by BGB when they intruded into a disputed land at Padua border in Sylhet.  In a similar gunfight on April 16, 2005 two Indian border soldiers and two Bangladeshi civilians were killed along the Akhaura border. Besides, border forces of the two countries exchanged gun shots many a time, when they governments of the two countries brand their friendship as time-tested.

Analysts say, the latest incident of killing the BGB soldier, may strain the friendly relations between the two countries, at a time when anti-government parties have renewed a fresh anti-Indian sentiment in Bangladesh. India must investigate the incident and find at what circumstances BGB man was killed in Bongaon.

Observer say, Bangladesh and its people value India as it helped Bangladesh in its liberation war against Pakistan in 1971. Similarly the incumbent government in India, Indian media and its people including the civil societies are expected to remain obliged to Bangladesh as it has evicted all the Indian insurgents from its soil, following which peace restored and cessation activities have been stopped in northeast India in the past 15 years. India must remain obliged to Bangladesh as the neighbor allowed India for its transshipment of essentials goods and machineries to its northeast region through Bangladesh at cheaper cost and without hassle.

For the sake of these unprecedented concessions and cooperation from Bangladesh Indian government should bring its BSF to sense. They should be asked to stop senseless killing people on the border for the sake of the friendly relations between the two countries.

Indian authorities should ask BSF to arrest the smugglers and trespassers instead of killing them instantly on the border. In the no law court of the world smugglers or trespassers are ordered to be executed, except term-imprisonment, observers say.

Meanwhile the recent border incident has created a tremendous pressure on the incumbent government of the ruling Awami League (AL) led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which has recently begun its fourth consecutive and the fifth term, after winning the largely boycotted 12th parliamentary election on January 7 last. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the arch rival of AL and its 15 tiny allies boycotted the election, which however, drew 40.80 percent of pro-government voter, according to the Election Commission.

The government of Sheikh Hasina has long been blamed as subservient to India. Her rivals, mainly the BNP and its allies allege that in last 15 years, exploiting the kneel-down policy of her government, India has so far established corridor through Bangladesh, achieved facilities to use the ports of the country and enjoy transshipment facilities. They say Bangladesh has become a complete vassal state of India. They also warn that Sheikh Hasina, her cabinet colleagues and party leaders will have to face charges high treason once they are ousted from the state power.

However, the incumbent government of Bangladesh says, whatever concessions it has given to India, was for mutual financial benefits of the people of the two countries.

Analysts belief the recent killing of BGB soldier by the BSF, has become a test case for Hasina government. It must strongly seek redress for the killing from the government of India. Otherwise she might have to pay dearly for her governments indifference to the incident.

The writer is Business Editor, The Daily Observer



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