Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Saturday directed the members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), country's paramilitary force responsible for the border security, to stay away from all sorts of corruption.
Addressing senior BGB officials at the force's headquarters in Pilkhana, Dhaka, the Adviser expressed his strong stance against border killings, referencing the death of Felani Khatun in 2011.
"I do not want to see killings like Felani again. Do not show your back at the border," he said. Felani Khatun, a teenage girl, was shot dead
while attempting to cross the India-Bangladesh border. Her body was left hanging from a barbed-wire fence for four and a half hours on January 7, 2011.
Despite massive outcry over the incident, her murder case remains pending in the Supreme Court of India.
"Corruption will not be tolerated under any circumstances . . . The BGB members must perform duties according to the law," the home advisor told the senior BGB officials.
Issuing a warning of tough action against any sorts of corrupt practices, the advisor said," Strict disciplinary measures will be taken against those who will involved in bribery and corruption. Not only that if necessary, they will be fired from the service."
Mentioning that the prime responsibility of BGB is to ensure protection of the frontiers and prevent smuggling, Mohammad Jahangir asked the BGB personnel to perform their duties with utmost professionalism.
"I don't want to see killings like Felani again. Don't show your back at the border . . . carry out your responsibilities in a perfect manner," said the adviser.
BGB Director General (DG) Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui along with senior officials of BGB Headquarters and region commanders of the force, Sector Commanders, Battalion Commanders and other officials took part in the event through video teleconference (VTC).
