Legal cattle trade to cut border killing

Legalisation of cattle trading between India and Bangladesh could bring down border killing significantly, experts on Indo-Bangla relations said yesterday.
The move would also boost revenues of both the countries, they said.
The analysts made the observations at a press conference to mark the conclusion of a two-day international seminar on Bangladesh-India Relations at Senate Building, Dhaka University.
“Cattle is allowed everywhere in India. The laws should be changed to allow export of cattle,” said EN Rammohan, former director general of Indian Border Security Force (BSF).
Rammohan urged both the countries to sit together to make cattle trade formal.
Prof Imtiaz Ahmed of Dhaka University inetrnational relations department said if the cross-border cattle trade is made formal, both countries would benefit from higher revenue income.
“Cattle smuggling is a major reason of border killing, but not the only reason,” Ahmed also said.
Prof Veena Sikri, former Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh, said the recently signed agreement that has clearly demarcated the border would help prevent the killing.
She said BSF and Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB) must have clear instructions from their bosses on the issue. “So far, they are not clearly instructed.”
Brig Gen (retd) Helaluddin Ahmed, director of Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry, blamed fencing of border as a major reason for a rise in killings by BSF.
“If anybody wants to cross the border, the BSF suspects and opens fire,” Helaluddin added.
Between January 1, 2000 and March 31, 2011 BSF killed 907 unarmed Bangladeshis, said Odhikar, a human rights body. The number of killing is around 20 so far in 2011.
Centre for Alternatives, Dhaka and Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi co-organised the seminar to analyse bilateral issues after the prime ministerial summit conference held here on September 6-7.
The seminar discussed a wide range of issues including diplomacy, trade, technology, investment, regional dimension, environment, energy, water, connectivity, security and media in six sessions. Resource persons both from Bangladesh and India took part in the discussion.
On the outcomes of the seminar, a book will be published in Ekushey Book Fair 2012 jontly by Bangladesh and India.
Analysts said all the disputed matters could be solved in a friendly way.
About not signing the Teesta water share deal during Manmohan Singh's Dhaka visit, Veena Sikri said the treaty will come only after all sides are satisfied. “It's a temporary disappointment.”
But the former top Indian diplomat hailed the basin approach taken into account for the first time by both countries in sharing water of the common rivers.
Replying to a query, she said foreign policy of a country should be formulated on national consensus.