BSF shoot dead BGB member
Syed Shemul Parvez :
Border killing continues despite having agreement to reduce it to zero between Bangladesh-India.
Though earlier, both Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) agreed to bring down the killing, injuring and beating unarmed nationals of both countries to zero by adopting extra precautionary measures along the borders, but no remarkable progress has been noticed yet.
According to private human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) (local law and arbitration center), as well as other media sources, at least 200 Bangladeshis were killed by BSF at the border areas for last six years.
It may be mentioned that Bangladesh -India are promised almost every year to reduce the murder rate to zero.
On Monday morning, a member of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) who sustained injuries after being shot by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along
the Dhannokhola border under Benapole upazila of Jashore on Monday morning succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in India, BGB confirmed the matter to the media in a press release on Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as Raisuddin, 35, was posted at the BGB-49 Battalion in Jashore, said a media release signed by Lt Col Md Jamil, commander of the 49 Battalion.
According to the release, a patrol team of the paramilitary force challenged a gang of cattle smugglers when they were intruding into Bangladesh from India, adjacent to Jhelepara post area under the Benapole upazila, around 5:30am on Monday.
At one stage of the chase, the smugglers went back inside Indian territory, it reads, adding that BGB personnel Raisuddin got separated from the patrol team amid dense fog.
Though initially he was not found, later it was known through several sources that he was injured in BSF firing and was undergoing treatment in an Indian hospital.
Shortly after the incident, a bilateral flag meeting on commander-level was held between the BGB and the BSF, according to the release. He died while undergoing treatment in the hospital, it was confirmed.
The BGB demanded proper investigation into the incident and sent a strong protest note to their Indian counterparts, the press release reads.
Process is underway to bring the BGB personnel’s body back home soon, it added.
In 2021, 19 Bangladeshis were killed by BSF firing at the border. In 2020, 49 people were killed. In 2019, a total of 43 people were killed.
In 2018, the total of 14 people was killed. Earlier, 2017, 24 people were killed.
According to ASK’s estimates as well as other media sources, at least 200 Bangladeshi were killed by BSF at the border areas for last six years.
Earlier, on 7 January 2011, a 15-year-old girl, Felani, was shot dead while illegally entering Bangladesh from India by the BSF in Phulbari upazila, Kurigram.
She had been gotten stuck in the barbed wire when she was shot and she remained there for 5 hours until she bled to death.
Earlier on 16 April 2001, 16 Indian paramilitary personnel were ambushed and killed by 11 Bangladeshi border guards when they entered Bangladeshi territory experienced the tragic clashes.
The clashes left a total of 21 people dead, including 16 Indian soldiers and three Bangladeshi border guards.
In 2014, Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) shot at BGB patrols at Naikkhangchhari border in Bandarban on May 28, leaving Nayek Mizan dead.
The Myanmar force then intruded into Bangladesh and took away his body, his firearm and ammunition which created huge tension at the border.
