[🇧🇩-Land] Atrocities of BSF/How BGB responds

[Saif]

BGB thwarts BSF's attempt to erect barbed wire fence along Joypurhat border

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) thwarted yet another attempt by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to construct a barbed wire fence along the Panchbibi border in Joypurhat. The incident occurred early Saturday around 5:30 am in the Sonatala border area under the jurisdiction of the Hat

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BGB thwarts BSF's attempt to erect barbed wire fence along Joypurhat border
UNB
Published :
Oct 19, 2024 23:48
Updated :
Oct 19, 2024 23:48

A flag meeting was held on Saturday evening between the BGB and the BSF. Photo : UNB

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) thwarted yet another attempt by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to construct a barbed wire fence along the Panchbibi border in Joypurhat.

The incident occurred early Saturday around 5:30 am in the Sonatala border area under the jurisdiction of the Hatkhola BOP camp.

Lt Col Mohammad Nahid Newaz, commander of Joypurhat-20 BGB Battalion, confirmed the matter.

International law prohibits any construction within 150 yards of the border. Despite this, BSF personnel began erecting a temporary barbed wire fence using bamboo poles approximately 20 yards inside Indian territory, near the third and fourth sub-pillars of main pillar 280, according to BGB sources and local residents.

Local residents alerted the BGB patrol team, who arrived at the scene to intervene. The BGB's action forced the BSF to halt their construction efforts, ensuring the integrity of the border remained intact.

In a related development, a flag meeting was held on Saturday evening between the BGB and the BSF. Under the leadership of Naik Subedar Naeemul Islam, company commander of Koya BOP, and AC Ankur, company commander of the 137 Battalion BSF, both sides discussed the ongoing issue of border construction.

The BSF commander assured the BGB that there would be no further attempts to construct the barbed wire fence outside areas allowed under international law.

On October 17, BSF members had made two attempts to build a barbed wire fence using iron poles in the same area, but their efforts were similarly obstructed by BGB personnel. Following those incidents, a protest letter was sent by Joypurhat Battalion-20 BGB to the commander of the 137 Battalion BSF.​

 

[Saif]

BGB, BSF DG-level talks postponed

The director general-level border talks between Bangladesh and India, initially set for next month in New Delhi, have been postponed.

www.thedailystar.net

BGB, BSF DG-level talks postponed

The director general-level border talks between Bangladesh and India, initially set for next month in New Delhi, have been postponed.

Speaking to this newspaper yesterday, BGB Deputy Director General (Media) Colonel Mohammad Shariful Islam said with approval from the home ministry, the BGB requested the BSF to delay the meeting by a month, as BGB officials are currently deployed across the country due to the present situation.

The 55th meeting between the DGs of the border forces of the two countries was planned to be held in New Delhi from November 18 to 22, marking the first such meeting since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5.

Indian news agency PTI reported that the meeting has been postponed due to adjustments in Bangladesh's plans.

BGB and BSF chiefs hold these meetings twice a year. PTI, citing sources, mentioned that efforts are underway to schedule a new date for the meeting soon.

The last meeting took place in Dhaka in March.​

 

[Saif]

BSF returns body of trader killed along Mymensingh border

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has returned the body of a businessman who was killed along the Dhobaura border in Mymensingh on October 24. Lt Col ASM Kamruzzaman, commander of 31 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) battalion, confirmed the matter on Saturday. The deceased, Rezaul Karim, was a

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BSF returns body of trader killed along Mymensingh border
Published :
Oct 26, 2024 22:00
Updated :
Oct 26, 2024 22:00

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has returned the body of a businessman who was killed along the Dhobaura border in Mymensingh on October 24.

Lt Col ASM Kamruzzaman, commander of 31 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) battalion, confirmed the matter on Saturday.

The deceased, Rezaul Karim, was a medicine trader from Sherpur. He died while attempting to cross the border at the Dhobaura frontier on October 24, UNB reports.

Bachchu, officer-in-charge of Durgapur Police Station, received the body in the presence of BGB members at the Bagmara Land Checkpoint in Netrokona District on Saturday afternoon. An initial examination revealed no signs of gunshot wounds on the body, according to the BGB official.

Rezaul hailed from Alinapara village in Sherpur Sadar upazila. He owned a pharmacy on Hospital Road in the Narayanpur area of Sherpur.

On the evening of October 24, Rezaul was reportedly killed near pillar 1139/9 in the Indian Territory, close to the BGB camp in the Munshipara area of South Maizpara Union in Mymensingh’s Dhobaura upazila. Following the incident, the BSF took his body to the Dhamdam camp.

Local residents heard gunfire from the BSF shortly after Rezaul entered India to procure medicines at a lower cost, leading them to believe that he was shot by the BSF.

However, on Saturday morning, the BSF informed the 31 BGB battalion in Netrokona that seven individuals encountered challenges from the BSF while trying to cross into India. Six managed to escape, but Rezaul fell off a culvert, suffered a head injury, and became unconscious, subsequently drowning in the water.

BSF personnel rescued him and took him to a local primary treatment centre, where he was declared dead.

OC Bachchu noted that a case is underway to be filed at the police station.​

 

[Saif]

BGB, BSF hold sector commander-level border coordination meeting

A border coordination meeting was held on Thursday between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Rangpur Sector and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) Dhubri Sector at the Sonahat land port in Bhurungamari, Kurigram. The three-hour meeting, beginning at 11:00 am, was attended by BGB Rangpur Sec

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BGB, BSF hold sector commander-level border coordination meeting
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Nov 14, 2024 22:38
Updated :
Nov 14, 2024 22:38

A border coordination meeting was held on Thursday between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Rangpur Sector and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) Dhubri Sector at the Sonahat land port in Bhurungamari, Kurigram.

The three-hour meeting, beginning at 11:00 am, was attended by BGB Rangpur Sector Commander Col Mamunur Rashid, and BSF Dhubri Sector DIG Shri Ashutosh Sharma, with 16 representatives from each side present, reports UNB.

Lt. Colonel Muhammad Masudur Rahman of Kurigram’s 22 BGB informed that discussions focused on preventing illegal border crossings, attacks on innocent civilians, controlling smuggling and drug trafficking, prohibiting illegal structures within 150 yards of the border, and coordinating developmental activities such as barbed-wire fencing.

The meeting was attended by officers from BGB's Kurigram Battalion (22 BGB), including Battalion Commander Lt. Colonel Muhammad Masudur Rahman, Lt. Colonel S.M. Khairul Alam, and other staff officers. Representatives from BSF’s Dhubri Sector, including commanders of the 19, 31, and 150 BSF Battalions and staff officers, were also present.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladeshi youth ‘tortured by BSF’ near Feni border

A youth from Feni’s Parshuram upazila was reportedly detained and tortured by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the border on Wednesday. The victim, Mohammad Yasin, 20, sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment under police custody at a hospital in India’s T

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladeshi youth ‘tortured by BSF’ near Feni border
Published :
Dec 04, 2024 23:13
Updated :
Dec 04, 2024 23:13

A youth from Feni’s Parshuram upazila was reportedly detained and tortured by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the border on Wednesday.

The victim, Mohammad Yasin, 20, sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment under police custody at a hospital in India’s Tripura, said Lt Col. Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, commander of the BGB’s Feni Battalion, UNB reports.

“Yasin received initial treatment in Bilonia and was later taken to Tripura’s Shantirhat Hospital for advanced care. Indian police have detained him on charges of trespassing. The police are taking action against him according to the laws of their country,” he said.

Nurul Islam, assistant commander of BGB 4 Battalion, said they learned about the matter through various sources. “After verifying the facts, they will provide further information and establish contact with the Indian BSF.”

Yasin, a battery-run auto-rickshaw driver and son of Mizan Mia from Baurkhuma village in the upazila, was allegedly detained while approaching the border around 5:30 am on Wednesday.

Locals said BSF personnel severely beat him, causing serious head injuries, before handing him over to Bilonia police.

Yasin’s mother, Rahela Akter, accused the BSF of torturing her son and appealed to Bangladesh authorities, including Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), to bring him back.

Feni Deputy Commissioner Saiful Islam, in a press release, said that Yasin was detained by Indian authorities while allegedly attempting to cross the border illegally. He was then handed over to Indian authorities, he added.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladeshi youth shot to death by BSF along Panchagarh border

The Indian Border Security Force took away the body of a middle-aged Bangladeshi man after shooting him to death near the zero line of the border at Mominpara under sadar upazila in Panchagarh on Friday morning.

www.newagebd.net

Bangladeshi youth shot to death by BSF along Panchagarh border
Staff Correspondent 06 December, 2024, 14:15

UNB Photo

The Indian Border Security Force took away the body of a middle-aged Bangladeshi man after shooting him to death near the zero line of the border at Mominpara under sadar upazila in Panchagarh on Friday morning.

The incident took place as tension ran high between the two neighbouring countries, particularly over the recent attack on Bangladesh’s mission in Tripura’s Agartala.

The deceased is Anwar Hossain, 40, a resident of Debangarh area under Debangarh union of Tetulia upazila in Panchagarh, BGB said in a press release on Friday.

According to the BSF, the incident took place approximately 100 yards from the zero line of the border at Mominpara under Pamchagarh sadar upazila at about 5:00am on Friday, when some Bangladeshis entered India to smuggle cows through the border.

BGB claimed that when the BSF intercepted them, the smugglers became aggressive and tried to attack the BSF members.

Later, BSF members tried to disperse them by firing, leaving Anwar dead on the spot, the BGB said.

Hearing sound of the gunshots, the BGB members also fired blank shots. The BSF members then took Anwar’s body away.

The BGB in the press release strongly protested at the incident, saying that a flag meeting would be called to bring back the body.

Earlier, 13-year-old Swarna Das lost her life in the Lalarchak border area of Sharifpur union under Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar on the night of September 1 in BSF firing and took away her body.

BSF returned Swarna’s body after 45 hours of the incident.

According to Ain O Salish Kendra, at least 22 Bangladeshis were shot to death by the BSF members, while 22 others injured between January and October in 2024.

A platform named ‘Students-citizens against discrimination’ on Friday staged a protest rally protesting at the killing of a Bangladeshi citizen in the Panchagarh border area by the BSF and the spread of deliberate misinformation about Bangladesh by the Indian media, reported Dhaka University correspondent.

The brief rally was held at around 6:00pm at the base of the Anti-Violence Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University.​

 

[Saif]

BGB prepared to tackle any situation at frontiers: home adviser

Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today said the BGB has been instructed to stay fully prepared to tackle any situation along the border

www.thedailystar.net

BGB prepared to tackle any situation at frontiers: home adviser

Jahangir Alam Chowdhury

Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today said the BGB has been instructed to stay fully prepared to tackle any situation along the border.

"We have instructed the BGB to be prepared to face any situation. BGB will always be ready on the border. However, there is no such major tension at the border right now," Jahangir said in response to a reporter's query at the BGB headquarters in the capital's Pilkhana.

He, however, said if tension arises along the border, it will be dealt with accordingly.

The adviser made the remarks while attending a rehabilitation event for those injured during the July movement.

Any provocation would have to be resisted, not spared, he said, adding that the border force is ready to tackle any situation front on.

Regarding the border killings and border tension at Panchagarh, he said,

"I would like to tell the Bangladeshi citizens along the border that there is no need to worry. We are always ready to ensure safety. Border citizens are safe," he said.

Asked what kind of instructions were given to the BGB, the adviser said the BGB would work for internal and border security.

"However, I have asked to reduce internal work and focus on the border," he said.

The home adviser also said except for one or two isolated incidents, BGB played a very tolerant, humanitarian, and responsible role in the movement of July and August.

After the victory of the students and people on August 5, the BGB has been playing an important in maintaining law and order across the country, he said.

The home adviser said the BGB detained about 50 controversial people of the then government while they were trying to cross the border and handed them over to the law authorities.

"In the new context, BGB has been able to arrest a significant number of smugglers and seize a large number of smuggled goods along the border in the last three months by playing a strong role in protecting the country's border," said the adviser.

BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddique said the BGB has taken initiatives to rehabilitate 107 students and people injured in the anti-discrimination movement across the country.

In continuation of this, seven have been assisted through today's programme, he said.

Earlier, the BGB provided Tk 5 lakh to the Shaheed Abu Sayeed Foundation, Tk 3 lakh to the family of Shaheed Nazibul Sarker Bishal of Joypurhat, and Tk 5 lakh to the injured students at the Popular Hospital in the capital. Mentioning that the BGB is fully prepared to face any untoward situation on the border, the BGB DG hoped that every member of the BGB would work as a vigilant guard on the border.​

 

[Saif]

3 Bangladesh nationals found dead near Indian border

The police and the Border Guard Bangladesh recovered the dead bodies of three Bangladeshis from three separate spots along the border with India near the Ichhamati River under Sharsha and Benapole port police in Jashore on Wednesday...

www.newagebd.net

3 Bangladesh nationals found dead near Indian border
Our Correspondent . Jashore 18 December, 2024, 23:45

The police and the Border Guard Bangladesh recovered the dead bodies of three Bangladeshis from three separate spots along the border with India near the Ichhamati River under Sharsha and Benapole port police in Jashore on Wednesday.

The deceased were identified as Sabu Hossain, 35, son of Arif Hossain of Dighirpar under the Benapole port police, Jahangir Morol, 36, son of Yunus Ali Morol of Kagojpukur village under the same police, and Sakibul Hasan, 20, son of Jamil Dhali of Shahjadpur village under the Sharsha police.

Local people suspect that the victims were tortured to death by the Indian Border Security Force after which they left the bodies inside Bangladesh territory.

Lieutenant Colonel Khurshid Ahmed, commanding officer, 21 Battalion of Border Guard Bangladesh, confirmed the death of two Bangladeshis along Indian frontiers. He, however, did not make any comment about how they were killed, or about the death of the third man.

Nishat Al Nahian, assistant superintendent of police, Jashore, confirmed the death of the three persons.

‘We are investigating the cause of their death,’ he added.

Local people and the police said that the bodies were recovered at about 3:00am, 7:40am, and 3:00pm Wednesday.

The bodies were sent to Jashore General Hospital for autopsy, said the police.​

 

[Bilal9]

Road adjoining Indian High Commission in Dhaka named 'Shaheed Felani Road'

Amid growing anti-India sentiment, a road adjoining the Indian High Commission in Dhaka has been named 'Shaheed Felani Road' by a citizens group initiative in protest of 'border killings' - the killing of Bangladeshi citizens by India's Border Security Force in the frontier regions. An organizatio

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Road adjoining Indian High Commission in Dhaka named 'Shaheed Felani Road'
UNB
Published :
Sep 13, 2024 23:28
Updated :
Sep 13, 2024 23:28

View attachment 8364

Amid growing anti-India sentiment, a road adjoining the Indian High Commission in Dhaka has been named 'Shaheed Felani Road' by a citizens group initiative in protest of 'border killings' - the killing of Bangladeshi citizens by India's Border Security Force in the frontier regions.

An organization named People's Activist Coalition (PAC) installed a nameplate denoting as much on the road, ignoring police's attempts to obstruct them, on Friday afternoon.

Some people started gathering on the road in front of the Indian High Commission around 4 pm.

Police and army personnel took position on that road and stopped the movement of people and vehicles.

Around 4:30 pm, when the leaders and workers of the PAC went to install the nameplates, the police stopped them.

They were heard chanting slogans like 'Delhi na Dhaka/ Dhaka Dhaka'.

At one stage, a nameplate was installed on the road saying "Shaheed Felani Road."

Felani, a minor Bangladeshi girl, worked as a domestic help in New Delhi. She was returning home with her father through Anantapur border in Kurigram district on January 7, 2011, when members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot her dead. Her body was handed over to Bangladesh a day later.

Bangladesh recently strongly protested two border killings in the space of eight days by BSF.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh lodged the first formal protest to the Government of India on the killing of a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl, Shwarna Das of Juri upazila of Moulvibazar district, who was shot and killed by Border Security Force (BSF) of India on September 1.

In the protest note sent to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, Bangladesh strongly protested and condemned such ruthless acts and expressed deep concern over the incidents.

The government of Bangladesh reminded that such incidents of border killing are undesirable and unwarranted and such actions are in violation of the provisions of the Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines for Border Authorities, 1975.

The government of Bangladesh called upon the government of India to stop repetition of such heinous acts and conduct enquiries into all border killings, identify the responsible persons and bring them to justice.​

I think this took a certain amount of sarcasm and dark humor - whomever came up with the idea !

But I support it, as should conscious Bangladeshi citizens of all stripes.

 

[Bilal9]

3 Bangladesh nationals found dead near Indian border

The police and the Border Guard Bangladesh recovered the dead bodies of three Bangladeshis from three separate spots along the border with India near the Ichhamati River under Sharsha and Benapole port police in Jashore on Wednesday...

www.newagebd.net

3 Bangladesh nationals found dead near Indian border
Our Correspondent . Jashore 18 December, 2024, 23:45

The police and the Border Guard Bangladesh recovered the dead bodies of three Bangladeshis from three separate spots along the border with India near the Ichhamati River under Sharsha and Benapole port police in Jashore on Wednesday.

The deceased were identified as Sabu Hossain, 35, son of Arif Hossain of Dighirpar under the Benapole port police, Jahangir Morol, 36, son of Yunus Ali Morol of Kagojpukur village under the same police, and Sakibul Hasan, 20, son of Jamil Dhali of Shahjadpur village under the Sharsha police.

Local people suspect that the victims were tortured to death by the Indian Border Security Force after which they left the bodies inside Bangladesh territory.

Lieutenant Colonel Khurshid Ahmed, commanding officer, 21 Battalion of Border Guard Bangladesh, confirmed the death of two Bangladeshis along Indian frontiers. He, however, did not make any comment about how they were killed, or about the death of the third man.

Nishat Al Nahian, assistant superintendent of police, Jashore, confirmed the death of the three persons.

‘We are investigating the cause of their death,’ he added.

Local people and the police said that the bodies were recovered at about 3:00am, 7:40am, and 3:00pm Wednesday.

The bodies were sent to Jashore General Hospital for autopsy, said the police.​

These people exceeded limits again.

Proper response will be given at a time of our choosing.

 

[Saif]

These people exceeded limits again.

Proper response will be given at a time of our choosing.

We need to empower field commanders of BGB to give proper response to BSF's atrocities on the border. Right now BGB needs to ask for permission from the Home Ministry to fire bullets at BSF.

 

[Saif]

Torture, killing of Bangladeshis on border should stop

THREE Bangladeshis allegedly having been tortured to death by India’s Border Security Force once again questions the commitment of Indian authorities to ending border killing. The police and the Border Guard Bangladesh found the bodies on three spots along the border with India near the River...

www.newagebd.net

Torture, killing of Bangladeshis on border should stop
20 December, 2024, 00:00

THREE Bangladeshis allegedly having been tortured to death by India’s Border Security Force once again questions the commitment of Indian authorities to ending border killing. The police and the Border Guard Bangladesh found the bodies on three spots along the border with India near the River Ichhamati at Sharsha in Jashore on December 18. While the Border Guard Bangladesh and the local administration have only confirmed the recovery of the bodies and the bodies have marks of severe beating, local people and police personnel say that the three, along with two others, went to the border and were tortured to death by the Indian guards. While the authorities need to investigate the death and find the missing two, the incident suggests the sheer disregard of the Indian border force for international laws and bilateral agreements in border management. Dozens of conferences and talks between leaders of the two countries and directors general of border forces of India and Bangladesh and bilateral pledges appear to have yielded no result in ending the killing of Bangladeshis by India’s border guards.

The Indian guards and the political leaders have on many occasions promised to end border killing, but the Border Security Force has continued to use lethal weapons and torture and kill Bangladeshis. What is also gravely problematic in incidents of border killing is the claim made by Indian authorities that their border guards kill ‘criminals’ and ‘smugglers’ on the border. It is understood that cross-border smuggling happens along the Bangladesh-India border and such smuggling involves people from both sides of the border. There are agreements and international laws to be followed in dealing with smugglers. Indian authorities have on many occasions pledged to follow international laws and never use lethal weapons, but the Indian guards continue to pursue a shoot-to-kill policy, dishonouring the agreements and memoranda between Bangladesh and India. In many instances, Indian guards are also reported to have tortured and killed Bangladeshis, mostly farmers working on fields well inside the Bangladesh territory. At least 20 Bangladeshis, including teenagers, have so far been killed by Indian guards in 2024 while more than 1,300 Bangladeshis were killed by Indian guards between 2000 and 2023. Such highhandedness of, and disregard for, international border control protocol by the Border Security Force of India has remained a prickly issue among the two countries.

Border killing has remained a major obstacle to fostering good relations between Bangladesh and India. An end to border killing and a peaceful border could have been achieved if justice had been ensured in earlier incidents of border killing. But sadly, India has never brought any of those accused to justice. Dhaka should, therefore, push for an immediate implementation of a zero-border killing policy and take up the issue at international forums as it is a violation of international laws. Indian authorities should also deliver on their promises.​

 

[Saif]

Bravo!! Our BGB has done a tremendous job on the border. Please view the picture below.

 

[Saif]

Fire breaks out at Secretariat building

A fire broke out at the Secretariat in Segunbagicha area of Dhaka early Thursday. The fire reportedly started at 1:52 am in the building number 7 of the secretariat, as per private television channels. Eighteen units of fire service are working to extinguish the fire. During this efforts, a fire

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Border killings are never acceptable: Mirza Fakhrul
UNB
Published :
Dec 25, 2024 21:14
Updated :
Dec 25, 2024 21:14

Border killings should never be accepted under any circumstances, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday.

Fakhrul made the remark after arriving in Sylhet on a personal visit.

Speaking to the media at Sylhet Osmani International Airport, he said, "India should stop border killings. BNP has always demanded this, and we stand firm that border killings should never be accepted."

He also said that it is the collective responsibility of the people to build a country free from fascism. "BNP is committed to restoring democracy in Bangladesh," he added.

Among others, BNP Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Sylhet District BNP President Abdul Qayum Chowdhury, Sylhet Metropolitan BNP Acting President Rezaul Hasan Qays Lodi, Sylhet District BNP General Secretary Advocate Emran Ahmed Chowdhury, and Sylhet Metropolitan BNP General Secretary Emdad Hossain Chowdhury were also present.​

 

[Saif]

Border of blood

THE India-Bangladesh border, stretching over 4,096 kilometres and ranked as the fifth-longest land border in the world, stands as one of the most militarised. While serving...

www.newagebd.net

Border of blood
by Md Obaidullah and Md Sohrab Hossen 31 December, 2024, 00:00

THE India-Bangladesh border, stretching over 4,096 kilometres and ranked as the fifth-longest land border in the world, stands as one of the most militarised. While serving as a critical locus for bilateral trade and cultural exchange, the border has also become infamous for its episodes of violence: the killings of Bangladeshi nationals by India’s Border Security Force.

These incidents raise important and pertinent questions about the balance between border security and human rights, with India citing the necessity to curb smuggling and infiltration and Bangladesh emphasising the violation of human dignity and international norms.

Historical context of the border

THE Radcliffe Line, named after Cyril Radcliffe, marked the boundary demarcated during the Partition of India in 1947. Radcliffe was tasked with the challenge of equitably dividing 450,000 square kilometres (175,000 square miles) of territory, home to 88 million people, along religious lines — primarily between Hindus and Muslims. This division led to the partition of Bengal, transferring East Bengal to Pakistan. In 1971, East Bengal gained independence to become Bangladesh, which continues to share the Radcliffe Line as its border with the Republic of India.

India’s perspective on border security: myth or reality?

CENTRAL to India’s border discourse is the issue of illegal migration, particularly from Bangladesh, which has often been framed as a national security threat and a demographic challenge, especially in border states like Assam and West Bengal. However, while the political rhetoric around migration is strong, the actual data paints a different picture.

Political narrative vs ground reality

INDIAN political leaders have frequently highlighted illegal immigration to justify controversial policies like the National Register of Citizens, NRC. In 2004, Sriprakash Jaiswal, then minister of state for home affairs, claimed there were 12 million illegal Bangladeshis in India. By 2016, Kiren Rijiju, the then minister of state for home affairs, said the figure had escalated to 20 million. These alarming numbers have been weaponised in public discourse, with politicians blaming immigrants for unemployment and resource scarcity. For instance, Indian home minister Amit Shah once remarked, ‘They are (immigrants) eating the grain that should go to the poor.’

However, a closer examination reveals significant contradictions in these claims. Between 2011 and March 2020, only 15,176 Bangladeshis were granted Indian citizenship — a figure officially provided by the Indian Parliament. Notably, 14,864 of these cases were linked to the Indo-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement of 2015, a formal exchange of enclaves between the two nations. Under this bilateral agreement, enclave residents were granted Indian citizenship. Excluding this land swap, the number of Bangladeshis granted Indian citizenship through other means is a mere 312.

This data, indeed, contrasts with the political rhetoric suggesting rampant illegal immigration. It becomes evident that border violence, often cited as a measure to curb illegal immigration, is less about infiltration and more about the clashes of interest involving the Border Security Force and smugglers. Smuggling activities, which invariably involve participants from both India and Bangladesh, seem to persist under implicit arrangements. The BSF’s actions, however, disproportionately target Bangladeshi individuals, raising questions about selective enforcement. Each fatal incident serves as a grim reminder that smuggling continues with the tacit understanding that the BSF must be ‘satisfied’ for such activities to proceed.

These discrepancies illustrate how the issue of illegal immigration is often exaggerated for political purposes, creating a narrative that fuels public anxieties while distracting from the underlying complexities of border management and enforcement.

Weaponising the migration narrative

THE narrative of ‘illegal Bangladeshis’ is not merely a security concern but has evolved into a potent political tool. It is regularly invoked to justify strict border policies, communal polarisation, and even economic stagnation. Claims that migrants ‘take away jobs’ or ‘burden public resources’ have been amplified without substantial evidence. For example, in 2020, then minister of state for home affairs G Kishan Reddy remarked, ‘Half of Bangladesh will be empty if India starts granting them citizenship.’ Such hyperbolic statements resonate in public discourse but remain disconnected from verifiable data.

An unspoken tragedy

THE India-Bangladesh border has long been a site of systemic human rights violations, with the Indian Border Security Force’s persistent killings, abductions, and torture since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971. It highlights a failure to uphold human dignity alongside security. From 1972 to 2023, 5,288 killings have been recorded along the border, with the peak occurring between 2002 and 2011, accounting for 44.4 per cent of all deaths and an average of 234.9 killings per year. While there has been a reported decline in recent years — 95 killings in 2022–2023 with an annual average of 47.5 — the scale of this violence is neither normal nor justifiable. These figures are not the hallmarks of border security; they reveal a pattern of state-sanctioned human rights abuses that have disproportionately impacted Bangladeshi citizens.

One case that epitomises this inhumanity is the tragic killing of Felani Khatun, a 15-year-old girl who was shot dead on January 7, 2011 while crossing back into Bangladesh through Phulbari Upazila, Kurigram. Felani, caught in the barbed wire, hung there for five hours, bleeding to death, as BSF personnel stood idly by. The horrifying image of her lifeless body dangling from the fence shook the world’s conscience, sparking outrage and demands for justice. In response, the National Human Rights Commission of India recommended a mere Rs 500,000 compensation for her family in 2015. But such monetary compensation is grossly inadequate and morally hollow — how can a price ever be placed on the life of an innocent child whose only crime was crossing an arbitrary line drawn in history?

The BSF often justifies these killings by alleging that victims are engaged in illegal activities such as cattle smuggling. However, the credibility of this defence collapsed when India’s own Enforcement Directorate, during a case in West Bengal, revealed that BSF officials were directly involved in organised cattle smuggling into Bangladesh. This damning revelation exposes a brutal irony: the same security forces that claim to combat illegal activities are complicit in perpetuating them. It raises critical questions about the legitimacy of border operations, systemic corruption, and the impunity that allows such acts to continue unchecked.

For the thousands of Bangladeshi citizens living near the border, this violence has become an inescapable part of daily life. Families endure not only the loss of loved ones but also constant fear, economic instability, and a breakdown of trust in cross-border governance.The indiscriminate use of lethal force, arbitrary detentions, and torture by the BSF violates both India’s constitutional principles and its obligations under international human rights frameworks, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Conflict resolution and addressing border killings

INDIA, as the world’s largest democracy and a key regional power, must hold itself to a higher standard. A secure border cannot and must not come at the cost of innocent lives. The repeated pledges by Indian authorities to limit the use of lethal weapons have largely remained empty promises. True reform requires systemic changes.

A number of actions are essential to addressing the persistent human rights abuses along the India-Bangladesh border. First, international human rights organisations such as the United Nations should keep a careful eye on the Border Security Force’s operations, investigate any infractions, and hold those responsible for them accountable. In order to monitor such violations, such as arbitrary murders and torture, a specialised human rights watchdog ought to be set up in the border regions. The government of Bangladesh must denounce transgressions, insist on open investigations, and pursue victim reparations. Furthermore, both nations ought to cooperate in enacting laws and providing financial assistance to enhance the security and welfare of border communities.

Another top focus is combating corruption and smuggling at the border. While local law enforcement and elected officials must locate and dismantle smuggling networks, the Border Guard Bangladesh should improve coordination with the BSF to stop illicit operations. The BSF should prioritise peaceful conflict resolution by implementing international standards for the use of force. To look into human rights abuses, an impartial, independent commission must be set up, and citizens of both countries must be able to file complaints and provide evidence. This body shall function openly and guarantee justice for anyone injured by violations connected to the border.

The border should be a bridge, not a battleground. How many more lives must be lost before we realise that humanity must always come before security?

Md Obaidullah is a visiting scholar in the department of development studies at Daffodil International University, Dhaka. His research focuses on International Relations, Migration, Foreign Policy, and Asian Politics. Md Sohrab Hossen is a senior officer in the inquiry, safeguarding, and grievance management committee at BRAC. His research interests include social vulnerabilities and politics, human rights, governance, and geopolitics.​