Killings by BSF unfortunate
Indian Law Minister Salman Khurshid yesterday regretted the killings by the Indian security forces at Bangladesh border.
“It is extremely unfortunate. We all know what provokes such happenings. Whatever are those, these incidents are unacceptable and regrettable,” he told reporters at a press conference at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital.
He said India was working hard to sign the Teesta water-sharing deal “as quickly as possible” and that the issue was a matter of “high priority” for India. However, sometimes domestic issues preoccupy and affect the international affairs, he said.
Salman Khurshid was leading an Indian team in Bangladesh and India's celebrations of the 113th birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and mark the 90th anniversary of the publication of “Bidrohi”.
Responding to a reporter's query, the Indian minister said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had been trying his best so that nothing like the border killings took place. “I hope the home ministry is working to make things better.”
According to rights body, Odhikar, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) killed 31 Bangladeshi nationals last year and 74 in 2010. The latest one was on May 16 when BSF killed Darul Islam, 38, of Shibganj in Chapainawabganj as he was inspecting his corn field.
Bangladesh on Monday lodged a protest against the BSF killing and called for a probe by India. In its Monday statement, Bangladesh foreign ministry reminded India its pledge to stop the killings.
About the much-talked-about Teesta deal, Salman Khurshid said, “Don't worry about it…We are committed, and I can reassure you of the deal.”
Not only Teesta, there are other issues as well like trade. “All tariff and non-tariff barriers are gone, and it was not easy,” he said.
Asked if signing of the Teesta deal was possible during this UPA coalition government's tenure in India, Khurshid said it did not matter which government was in power. India's international relation was not dictated by any party but the country as a whole, he said.
On the ratification of Land Boundary Agreement, he said it required amendments to the constitution and that Indian home and foreign ministries were doing background work. After it passed the law ministry's vetting, it would be placed in the parliament, he said without mentioning any timeframe.
Khurshid said visits by the prime ministers of Bangladesh and India had taken the relations between the neighbouring nations to a new height.
On the joint celebrations of Nazrul Islam's birth anniversary and 90th anniversary of the publication of “Bidrohi”, he said it was a great occasion for them.
The two countries share a common history, heritage and culture, and that it was imperative that the cooperation and collaboration of the two nations was enhanced to raise the living standards of the people, providing them with jobs and education, he observed.
Indian lawmakers CM Chang, Mohammad Adeeb, Bhola Singh and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran also spoke during the press conference.
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