Al Mamun Harun Ur Rashid :
Human rights experts have underscored the urgent need for strong political commitment, decisive government action, and enhanced border management to effectively tackle the persistent issue of killings along the Bangladesh-India border.
Despite repeated assurances from both sides, incidents of border violence continue to provoke widespread outrage in Bangladesh.
According to data from human rights watchdog Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 25 Bangladeshi nationals were killed by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) in 2024 alone, adding to a grim total of 594 deaths recorded between 2009 and 2023.
The latest incident, involving the shooting of 30-year-old Ibrahim Babu near the Darshana border in Chuadanga district, has
once again ignited public anger. Babu was reportedly shot dead on Indian soil while collecting grass, though the BSF claimed he was one of several gold smugglers who crossed 200 metres into India.
Lt. Col. Md Nazmul Hasan, commander of the 6th Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion, confirmed the incident and said that the BGB immediately sought clarification from India’s 32 BSF Battalion.
“The killings go uninvestigated and unpunished.
We have yet to see justice served, even in the high-profile Felani Khatun case,” told Sheikh Shams Morsalin, Associate Professor of International Relations at Dhaka University. “Proper trials would deter such violations by the BSF,” he added.
Felani Khatun, a teenager shot and left hanging on the barbed wire fence in 2011, has become a symbol of impunity and the harsh realities of India’s border policy. Her family’s prolonged legal and emotional battle highlights systemic failures in cross-border justice.
Experts note that India’s use of lethal force contradicts its declared “zero-death” policy, with many BSF personnel resorting to deadly violence even against unarmed civilians.
A significant factor, they say, is the deployment of BSF soldiers from regions unfamiliar with the border’s cultural and historical context, which fuels misunderstandings and aggression.
“Many BSF troops are posted far from the border and lack knowledge of the local culture. Some act aggressively and shoot on sight,” explained Professor Morsalin. He advocated for the deployment of a specialised Indian force trained in the local context to manage the border more responsibly.
India has recently increased BSF manpower and intensified border fencing and lighting to curb smuggling, but experts warn these measures alone may exacerbate tensions if underlying issues remain unaddressed.
“Many involved in cattle or gold smuggling come from desperate poverty. They risk their lives for a few thousand takas to support their families. Yet, the kingpins behind these operations remain untouched,” said Professor Morsalin.
He also criticised political inaction. “Political parties often remain silent on the killings. The incumbent government must take responsibility. Dialogue at the director-level between the two border forces needs to be more pragmatic,” he urged.
In a recent visit to Thakurgaon, National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam condemned the killings. “Border killings are a major concern. The Indian BSF indiscriminately kills Bangladeshi citizens,” he said. “This country was built by the mass student uprising, not any single individual. We are committed to stopping these killings at any cost.”
Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government amid mass uprisings in August last year, the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus has actively protested these border incidents.
Brigadier (retd) Shakhawat Hossain, adviser to the interim government, urged the BGB in August not to turn their backs on the border, a criticism aimed at the previous administration’s lack of strong response.
“A force like the BGB was instructed to show its back on the border. Our people are being killed there. I have told them enough is enough,” he stated firmly.
Human rights groups continue to press Delhi to honour its repeated promises to reduce border killings to zero and uphold fundamental rights along this sensitive frontier.
