Awareness among citizens crucial to end border killing

The number of border killings would be reduced if people living in bordering areas were made aware and financially self-sufficient, Maj Gen Shafeenul Islam, director general (DG) of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said yesterday.

He said they are trying to raise awareness among people so that they do not enter bordering areas illegally. Public representatives are working to this end, he said while speaking on the occasion of BGB day.

He inaugurated BGB day programmes around 9am by paying homage to martyrs of the Liberation War and hoisting the regimental flag.

In reply to a journalist's query about border killings, Maj Gen Shafeenul said BGB is trying its best to bring down the border killing into zero. "Now, we are trying to bring border killing to zero by holding talks diplomatically and from our sides," he said.

The BGB chief also said they were engaging local public representatives in bordering areas so that they could keep people away from the illegal border-crossing or criminal activities.

According to data from rights body Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), 15 people were killed along the India-Bangladesh border in 2018. The number rose to 43 last year while 42 people have been killed till November this year.

Shafeenul further said they would discuss the border killing issue in the upcoming DG-level meeting with his counterpart in Indian Border Security Force (BSF).

Killing of Bangladeshis by BSF, smuggling drugs and illegal arms into the country from India, illegal trespassing by Indian nationals including BSF are among key issues to be discussed at the upcoming conference between bordering forces of the two countries, he said.

BGB and BSF will also discuss sharing information with each other timely, effective implementation of coordinated border management, and other transnational crimes during the five-day conference, starting tomorrow in India's Guwahati.

An 11-memebr Bangladesh delegation will be led by the BGB DG while BSF DG Rakesh Asthana will led the Indian side, according to a press release sent by BGB.

He said there are still some places unguarded in hilly areas, and the distance between one border observation post (BOP) to another is around eight to 10 kilometers. New BOPs need to be built there to reduce the gap, which remains a challenge, the BGB chief said.

Shafeenul said that they have limited BGB day programmes due to Covid-19 this year.

The BGB chief said they have donated 100 boats to bordering fishermen to be self-dependent financially, in order to come out from the curse of debt circle, on the occasion of Mujib Borsho. He also asked his officers and personnel to discharge duties with honesty, skill, mental strength and brotherhood.

The BGB chief said members of the force should learn from its past and should protect the force from errant circles.

BGB also awarded their battalions and individuals for their annual performance in the field of seizure and protection of the border on the occasion.