Border killings
After a somewhat lull of several months since June we are alarmed at the number of Bangladeshi casualties, particularly in the last fortnight, caused by BSF firing. This situation, in spite of the commitment of the BSF to bring down the border killing figures to zero, is a dampener in the otherwise best of relationships that the two countries have had for a long time.
The issue has featured at all levels of bilateral meetings between the two countries and specific assurances were given by India that killing of Bangladeshis at the border would be stopped. We were also given the assurances that the use of lethal weapons would be abjured. Just this Wednesday a Bangladesh-India DC-DM Joint Conference was held in Bangladesh to discuss ways and means to bolster border relations, and regrettably, some of the killings had occurred only a day after the said conference was held.
It is difficult to accept the BSF argument that the firings are in self-defence since none of the victims have been found ever to be in possession of lethal weapons on them. At least in one instance recently, as reported in the press, the BSF had trespassed into Bangladesh and carried out the shooting on Bangladeshis injuring four. In some cases, victims' bodies bore marks of torture which suggest that they were apprehended before being disposed off summarily by the BSF.
We feel, given the state of good neighbourly relations between the two countries, the leash should be put on the BSF's trigger-happy attitude.
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