Staff Reporter :
India has formally regrets for the killing of a member of the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) and is hopeful to work together between BGB and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to prevent the repetition of such an incident.
Dhaka, however, said that they did not seek any explanation from Delhi regarding the killing of BGB member Mohammad Roisuddin who was killed on January 22.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin also the Director General of Public Diplomacy Wing, made the remarks in reply to the question of the journalists during the weekly briefing at the Ministry on Thursday.
Border killings by the Indian BSF have occasionally become contentious, despite India frequently committing to refraining from such incidents and to bring it down to ‘zero’.
BSF justifies these incidents by claiming that they are compelled to use force against ‘trespassers’ or ‘smugglers’ who are armed during border crossings.
Critics argue that such justifications cannot justify killings and suggest that BSF should arrest individuals and bring them to court.
Incidents like the shooting and killing of a 15-year-old Bangladeshi girl by BSF on January 7, 2011, along the India-Bangladesh border have sparked outrage both domestically and internationally.
Regarding Hasan Mahmud’s India trip focus, the spokesperson said, “The upcoming visit, scheduled for February 7-9, will focus on various bilateral issues between the two countries. This visit marks the first bilateral trip for the minister after assuming office.”
“The key areas of emphasis during this trip include enhancing communication between the peoples of both nations, collaboration in the energy sector, promoting bilateral trade expansion, connectivity, regional cooperation, and exploring avenues to further advance the Bangladesh-India relationship in the future,” she said.
Asking another question whether Foreign Minister’s India trip will touch upon Teesta water sharing treaty, she said, during the upcoming bilateral visit to India, there will be comprehensive discussions on various issues between Bangladesh and India.
There is an expectation that the sharing of Teesta River waters will be a topic of discussion.”
Regarding the Teesta project proposed by China, she said, “At this moment, there is no indication that the proposed Chinese projects related to the Teesta issue will be specifically addressed. If India wishes to know anything about it from us, we will consider it.”
Regarding the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports, she said that Bangladesh has granted permission for India to use Chittagong and Mongla ports.
“The Agreement on the Use of Chittagong and Mongla Port (ACMP) was signed in 2018 for the purpose of facilitating India’s use of these ports. The Ministry of Shipping of Bangladesh signed the agreement on behalf of Bangladesh,” she said.
She further said that the National Board of Revenue of Bangladesh issued a permanent order on April 24, 2023, allowing India to use Chattogram and Mongla ports.
“In such agreements, various conditions are typically considered and negotiated, and this agreement has been executed in a manner consistent with those principles,” she said.