Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh has called for the prosecution of those responsible for the recent killings of Bangladeshis by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain stated on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press briefing, the adviser remarked, “We cannot wage war over this; it is a highly sensitive issue. We hope that India takes this into account.”
His comments came in response to questions about the government’s stance on preventing further deaths at the border.
Two border killings occurred in the past week, the most recent incident involving the death of a boy in Thakurgaon on Monday.
Adviser Hossain confirmed that Bangladesh has strongly condemned the killings and lodged formal protests with India but stressed that the government currently has limited options beyond this.
The foreign adviser’s remarks come at a time when Bangladesh-India relations are strained, following the ousting of the pro-India Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina.
The ongoing border violence has added further tension to the already fragile bilateral ties.
“This violence must stop for the sake of both nations. There is no benefit for India in these killings,” Hossain said, pointing out that such incidents are damaging to diplomatic relations.
He also revealed that Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had yet to receive a response from India regarding the protest note sent after the latest killing.
India has historically justified the BSF’s use of force as a defensive measure against attacks by Bangladeshi nationals attempting to cross the border.
However, Hossain questioned this rationale, particularly in light of the recent killing, which did not involve any reported provocation.
In a related event, Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka, Pranay Verma, met with Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin on Tuesday.
While the meeting was described as a courtesy call focused on broader aspects of the bilateral relationship, Verma did not address the issue of border killings directly. Over the years, the BSF has faced criticism for its use of lethal force against Bangladeshis.
Human rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) reported that 31 Bangladeshis were killed by the BSF in 2023, with 28 shot dead.
In 2021 and 2022, the number of killings stood at 18 and 23, respectively. Between 2009 and 2020, at least 522 Bangladeshis were killed in such incidents.
Odhikar, another human rights group, documented that between 2000 and 2020, at least 1,236 Bangladeshis were killed, and 1,145 injured in BSF shootings along the border. Despite these alarming figures, little progress has been made in addressing the issue diplomatically.