Bangladesh Border: India should probe abuses by BSF men

The Indian authorities should investigate and prosecute newly alleged abuses by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the Bangladesh border, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.

In a media release, the rights body said Indian and Bangladeshi nongovernmental organisations have reported that the BSF is continuing to commit abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and ill-treat Indian and Bangladeshi border residents.

"The Indian government orders to border forces to exercise restraint and limit the use of live ammunition have not prevented new killings, torture, and other serious abuses," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at HRW.

"The government's failure to hold security personnel accountable has led to further abuses and the harassment of very poor and vulnerable populations," she said.

The Indian government has issued public orders to exercise restraint and end unlawful killings, and made assurances to Bangladesh, including during talks in December 2020.

However, the Bangladeshi group Odhikar alleged that the border forces have killed at least 334 Bangladeshis since 2011 and committed other instances of severe abuse, including 51 killings in 2020, said the release.

Indian border guards, deployed to prevent cattle rustling, smuggling, and illegal crossings, say they use force only when they come under attack, it added.

The Indian government should comply with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, said the HRW.

Given the failure of the BSF's internal justice system to prosecute its members for human rights abuses, civilian authorities should investigate personnel of all ranks implicated in serious rights abuses and try them in civilian courts, said the rights body.

"The Indian government should demonstrate its promised zero tolerance for abuses at the Bangladesh border by ending the culture of impunity for its border soldiers," Ganguly said.

Bangladesh has repeatedly protested abuses at the border.

HRW knows of no cases in which Indian authorities have held BSF soldiers accountable for abuses committed along the India-Bangladesh border.

Some border guards are reportedly also involved in facilitating cattle smuggling or human trafficking, and target people who resist extortion attempts, the rights body added.

The HRW release further said Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha, an Indian organisation that has investigated at least 105 alleged killings by BSF in the border areas in West Bengal state since 2011, mentioned that the actual number of killings is most likely higher.