Atrocities of BSF/How BGB responds

[Bilal9]

BSF ‘crosses into’ Kurigram border, beats 5 farmers

Five farmers have reportedly been beaten and injured by members of India’s Border Security Force, or BSF, after they entered Bangladesh through the border in Kurigram’s Phulbari Upazila. Upon hearing of the altercation, residents of the border region armed themselves with sticks and ga

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BSF ‘crosses into’ Kurigram border, beats 5 farmers
bdnews24.com
Published :
Feb 14, 2025 22:04
Updated :
Feb 14, 2025 22:04

View attachment 14422

Five farmers have reportedly been beaten and injured by members of India’s Border Security Force, or BSF, after they entered Bangladesh through the border in Kurigram’s Phulbari Upazila.

Upon hearing of the altercation, residents of the border region armed themselves with sticks and gathered at the zero line.

The situation was eventually diffused defused when the Border Guard Bangladesh, or BGB, personnel intervened, calming the crowd and restoring order.

The incident occurred near Balatari International Border Pillar No 930 (HS) in Nawdanga Union of the Upazila on Friday afternoon, according to Havildar Delbar Hossain of the BGB’s Gorakhmandal Border Outpost, or BOP.

The five individuals who sustained injuries have been identified as Shamsul Haque, 60, Jabed Ali, 55, Tajul Islam, 40, Kashem Ali, 50, and Ripon, 35, identified by a single name. All of them are residents of Krishnananda Bakshi village.

Witnesses said members of India's Narayanganj-138 Battalion of the BSF crossed the barbed-wire fence and entered approximately 500 yards into Bangladesh's zero line.

The confrontation began when Bangladeshi farmers working along the border protested the incursion, leading to a heated argument between the two sides.

The situation escalated when BSF personnel reportedly began striking the farmers with sticks, leaving five injured.

Upon learning of the incident, local villagers pursued the BSF members, who subsequently retreated across the border.

The clash has heightened tensions in the area.

Local resident Rubel Islam recounted the incident, saying: "When BSF members entered Bangladesh in the afternoon, they were confronted. They became angry and beat us up."

Delbar confirmed that the situation along the border has since stabilised. He added that the incident has been reported to higher authorities for further review.

Lt Col Shakil Alam, commander of the BGB's Lalmonirhat-15 Battalion, asserted: "It is not a simple matter for the BSF to cross into Bangladesh and assault individuals. However, thorough inquiries are being conducted regarding the incident."​

This goes to prove that average citizens of Bangladesh are sufficiently aware of infiltrations by BSF and are capable enough to counter BSF illegal actions. BGB/BDR hardly needed...

 

[Bilal9]

Repeated BSF attempts at border fencing vexatious

The attempt of India’s Border Security Force of March 17 at erecting barbed-wire fences along the border at Dahagram in Lalmonirhat is worrying as it violates the established border protocols. Indian border guards began erecting the fence with iron poles and fencing materials along the Sardar...

www.newagebd.net

Repeated BSF attempts at border fencing vexatious
19 March, 2025, 00:00

The attempt of India’s Border Security Force of March 17 at erecting barbed-wire fences along the border at Dahagram in Lalmonirhat is worrying as it violates the established border protocols. Indian border guards began erecting the fence with iron poles and fencing materials along the Sardar Para stretch of the border. The construction had been halted only after Bangladeshi border guards intervened and formally protested against the move. Border Guard Bangladesh officials have said that the fencing work was taking place in the no man’s land. But, the Border Guidelines, signed between Bangladesh and India in 1975, does not allow the construction of structures within 150 yards from the zero line on each side of the border. The incident follows two earlier attempts of the Indian guards to erect fences along the same stretch on March 2 and January 10. While the situation remains calm for now, local people say that an unease prevails about the growing presence of Indian guards near the border. They report that the repeated fencing attempts threaten their movement and farm work and create an atmosphere of insecurity in the frontiers.

Indian border guards made similar attempts along the borders in Chapainawabganj and Naogaon in recent months. This pattern reflects not only disregard for the established border protocols but also undermines the spirit of cooperation that bilateral relations require. The repeated violations send out a signal for a serious deviation from the commitments made at meetings between the two border forces. Although the meetings have often come up with pledges to uphold mutual understanding and prevent tension, such commitments are increasingly brought into question by action on part of the Indian guards. The move at hand of the Indian border guards could well be construed as an attempt at discommoding the Bangladesh government, which is in a transitional phase, especially in view of a series of events have happened in the border with the direct involvement of India’s Border Security Force. Such events on part of the Indian guards began in the final days of December 2024 with the erection of barbed-wire or electric fences along the border in Lalmonirhat, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon. Such events also endanger any efforts for improvement in bilateral relations, which have faced a setback because of India’s support for the authoritarian Awami League regime, toppled in a mass uprising on August 5, 2024.

Dhaka should, therefore, take up the issue with New Delhi to ensure that such attempts are addressed with the seriousness that they warrant. Delhi, in turn, should also ensure strict adherence to protocols. Such action is not welcome when both the neighbours are working to improve bilateral relations.​

What are they trying to fence? To prevent their poor beggars from going into Bangladesh? In that case they deserve our Thanks...

 

[Saif]

What are they trying to fence? To prevent their poor beggars from going into Bangladesh? In that case they deserve our Thanks...

They are trying to show the world that India has become such an economic power that people from other countries migrate to India for better lives. The Indians conveniently forget that millions of Indians migrate to the USA, Europe, Middle East, Africa and of course Bangladesh for better lives. The Indians say they have a 3 trillion dollar economy but they hide the truth that they have 150 crores hungry mouths to feed.

 

[Saif]

India's criminal border security force, BSF, entered Bangladesh territory and shot a poor villager. Efforts are going on to arrange a flag meeting between BSF and BGB.

 

[Saif]

Bangladeshi youth tortured by Indians in Lalmonirhat border

A Bangladeshi youth was allegedly physically tortured by Indian nationals who reportedly tied them to the barbed-wire fence on Lalmonirhat border on Friday.

www.newagebd.net

Bangladeshi youth tortured by Indians in Lalmonirhat border
Our Correspondent . Lalmonirhat 19 April, 2025, 00:21

A Bangladeshi youth was allegedly physically tortured by Indian nationals who reportedly tied them to the barbed-wire fence on Lalmonirhat border on Friday.

Victim Azinur Rahman, son of Nur Hossain, is a resident of Ward 1 in Jamgram village at Patgram upazila in the district. He is currently in the custody of India’s Border Security Force.

Witnesses told New Age that the incident occurred on Friday afternoon in Jamgram Dangarpar area of Baura union of the upazila between Sub-pillars 10 and 11 under main border Pillar 801.

They said that Azinur and his mother went to pick maize leaves in a field near the border as they did regularly. At that time, 10–12 Indian nationals from 108th Kuchlibari area crossed into Bangladesh territory and forcibly took Azinur across the border. They tied him to the barbed-wire fence and beat him.

Later, BSF members from the Saraswati camp arrived at the scene and took him into their custody.

Captain Rafiqul Islam, Company Commander of the Border Guard Bangladesh Thangjhara Camp, however, said that Azinur was attempting to smuggle cattle when Indian nationals caught him and handed him over to the BSF.

Efforts were underway to bring him back through a flag meeting with Indian authorities, he added.​

 

[Saif]

A BSF member was arrested for trespassing. He was freed after a flag meeting between BGB and BSF.

 

[Saif]

Bangladeshi national shot dead reportedly by BSF in 24 Parganas

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) reportedly shot a Bangladeshi to death at 24 Parganas of West Bengal early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Obaidur Rahman, 37, son of Hanif Mondol from Gopalpur village in Maheshpur upazila of bordering Jhenaidah district, reports UNB. A group of seven to

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladeshi national shot dead reportedly by BSF in 24 Parganas
Published :
Apr 27, 2025 14:55
Updated :
Apr 27, 2025 16:55

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) reportedly shot a Bangladeshi to death at 24 Parganas of West Bengal early Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Obaidur Rahman, 37, son of Hanif Mondol from Gopalpur village in Maheshpur upazila of bordering Jhenaidah district, reports UNB.

A group of seven to eight people from Gopalpur reportedly crossed into India on Saturday night and they encountered BSF members around 1:30 am, who allegedly opened fire on them. While most of the group managed to flee back into Bangladesh, Obaidur and another could not, locals said.

Later, the BSF members reportedly detained Obaidur, subjected him to torture and then gunned him down, according to information trickling down from across the border.

In the morning, local residents in Madhupur, 24 Parganas, spotted the body, and Indian police from the Bagda police station subsequently recovered it.

Yasmin Monira, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Maheshpur, said she had been informed by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) about the body lying on Indian soil.

Lt Col Rafiqul Alam, Commandant of the Maheshpur-58 BGB Battalion, said a body was found on the Indian side, but it was still not clear whether the deceased was Bangladeshi or Indian.

The body was recovered by Indian police and the whereabouts of the missing person remain unknown.​

 

[Saif]

Border Guard Bangladesh is teaching BSF a good lesson for trespassing. Poor BSF!!!

 

[Saif]

Two BSF members are asking for forgiveness by holding the feet of BGB members. Scene like this gives me great delight

 

[Bilal9]

Two BSF members are asking for forgiveness by holding the feet of BGB members. Scene like this gives me great delight

These BSF jawans are lucky to get back home with their skin intact!

Given the anger of border area Bangladeshis, they'd have been dead sooner than later.

I don't know what stupidity causes these people to cross an int'l border with such impunity, if they know the consequences...

 

[Saif]

These BSF jawans are lucky to get back home with their skin intact!

Given the anger of border area Bangladeshis, they'd have been dead sooner than later.

I don't know what stupidity causes these people to cross an int'l border with such impunity, if they know the consequences...

I hope BSF takes a lesson from this and stops cross border terrorism for amicable coexistence with Bangladesh.

 

[Saif]

undefined | The Financial Express

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BGB, BSF take back their citizens after flag meeting
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
May 03, 2025 00:06
Updated :
May 03, 2025 00:06

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has returned two Bangladeshis to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and taken back two of its own citizens after a rare flag-raising encounter at the Dinajpur border.

The handover process was held at the BGB-BSF commander-level meeting on Friday night. Then two Bangladeshi citizens were brought to the BGB camp, according to local media.

Earlier, BSF detained two Bangladeshi farmers while they were cutting and threshing paddy at Dharmajain border in Biral upazila around 12:15 pm. Two Indian nationals were detained by the villagers in connection with the incident.

Local farmer Enamul Hossain and his son Masud were cutting and threshing paddy in the border area at noon. At that time, the BSF took them from near the main pillar number 320.

Avinash Tudu and Philip Soren, who were staying in no man's land, were detained by angry villagers in protest. Later, they were handed over to BGB members.

Confirming the matter, Dharmapur Union Parishad Chairman Nur Islam said the issue was resolved through a flag meeting between BGB and BSF after nine hours.​

 

[Saif]

The Bangladeshi villagers are enough to handle Terrorist BSF.

 

[Saif]

Killing of Bangladesh nationals on border by India’s BSF on rise

Indian Border Security Force keeps killing Bangladeshis in border areas with the number of the killed increasing in recent months despite repeated promises by India to bring down the killings to zero...

www.newagebd.net

Killing of Bangladesh nationals on border by India’s BSF on rise
24 killed since August 2024
Tanzil Rahaman 04 May, 2025, 23:39

Indian Border Security Force keeps killing Bangladeshis in border areas with the number of the killed increasing in recent months despite repeated promises by India to bring down the killings to zero.

At least 11 Bangladeshi nationals were killed and 23 injured in BSF shooting and beating incidents from January to April this year. Of those killed, five were in April alone, three in March, one in February and two in January, according to rights group Ain O Salish Kendra data updated till April 30.

Border killings by the Indian BSF happened every month excepting November in 2024 since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina on August 5 amid a student-led mass uprising in the year, when she fled to India, the statistics show.

In a four-day director general-level conference of Bangladeshi and Indian border forces on February 17–20 in New Delhi, the Border Guard Bangladesh director general, Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, once again urged his Indian counterpart, Daljit Singh Chawdhary, to bring down the border killings to zero.

During the two months following the DG-level border conference, eight Bangladeshis were killed by the BSF along Indian borders, three of them in March and the five others in April.

Experts, however, pointed to Bangladesh’s subservient foreign policy towards India and India’s ‘muscle power’ and the ‘big-brother’ attitude of the neighbouring country for the heinous international crime.

Human rights activist Nur Khan Liton said killing of Bangladeshi people by the BSF is a longstanding problem.

‘I want to cite two major obstacles to containing border killings: one is Bangladesh’s subservient foreign policy towards India and the other is the [uneven] muscle power between the two countries,’ said Nur Khan.

Mentioning the repeated Indian commitments to bring down the number of border killings to zero, he said, ‘Meetings and conferences would not stop border killings as we don’t even see a decrease in the number [of border killings] despite repeated promises to reduce it to zero.’

Asked about the sudden rise in border killings in April following the BGB-BSF DG-level talks, BGB director for Operations Lieutenant Colonel SM Shafiqur Rahman, however, declined to make any comment.

Home adviser retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury was also approached for comment through his assistant private secretary, but he, too, did not respond.

At least 30 Bangladeshis were killed by the BSF during 2024 against 31 killed during 2023, ASK data show.

From August, 2024 till April, 2025, at least 24 Bangladeshis were killed and 32 injured.

Following the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina regime in August, 2024, two people were killed by the BSF in August, two in September, three in October, none in November and six in December.

On April 8, a Bangladesh national was beaten to death allegedly by the Indian BSF along the zero line of the border adjacent to Sejamora village under Bijoynagar upazila in Brahmanbaria district.

Victim Murad Hossain, 36, was found unconscious and in a critical condition by local people near the border.

He was later taken to Brahmanbaria General Hospital at about 9:30pm the same day when doctors declared him dead.

Murad Hossain’s nephew Hasibur Rahman said that he had gone to see his paddy field along the Indian border and BSF members beat him up severely.

‘No case was filed in this connection and the administration, too, did not help us in this regard,’ Hasibur told New Age.

BSF members shot Bangladeshi youth Al-Amin at Putia border under Kasba upazila in the evening of February 28 allegedly suspecting him as a smuggler and he died at a hospital in India two hours later.

On April 27, Indian Border Security Force reportedly shot to death Bangladeshi national Obaidur Rahman, 37, in North 24 Parganas of West Bengal, India.

Obaidur Rahman, son of Hanif Mondol, was from Gopalpur village in Maheshpur upazila of bordering Jhenaidah district.

Supreme Court lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua told New Age that the Professor Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has somewhat stepped away from Bangladesh’s subservient foreign policy towards India to gain some semblance of a free foreign policy following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina regime and this government has lodged strong protests on some issues.

‘There are tensions between the two countries and tensions have increased recently, which might be due to a communication gap on the diplomatic channel. Bangladesh should work to reduce the communication gap,’ he said.

He, however, also blamed the BSF culture of showing its superiority along Bangladesh borders.

On May 2, the BSF picked up two Bangladeshis from Patgram border in Lalmonirhat after the BGB and the BSF had exchanged two detainees after a flag meeting in Biral border area in Dinajpur.

The exchange took place after Bangladeshi locals picked up two Indian nationals protesting over the incident.

In another incident on the same day, a Bangladeshi youth was critically injured as the BSF opened fire targeting him along Maheshpur border in Jhenaidah district.

In the BGB-BSF DG-level conference, the BGB has pressed for joint inspections and joint records of discussion by engaging representatives of both sides for the construction by the Indian BSF of any permanent structure or barbed wire fences in the 150 yards of no-man’s-land along the border.

In mid-January, the interim government urged India to refrain from causing any provocative actions amid growing tensions along the border over the BSF constructing barbed wire fences, violating the international law at five points in the bordering districts of Chapainawabganj, Lalmonirhat, and Naogaon, prompting both sides to deploy additional forces on their respective sides.

On January 12, the Bangladesh foreign ministry summoned Indian high commissioner Pranay Verma to its office in Dhaka to express its concern over India’s construction of barbed wire fences along the border and to protest at the recent killing of a Bangladesh national by the BSF in border area.

On January 18, Indian villagers clashed with Bangladeshis over harvesting crops on the no-man’s land along the Chowka border in Chapainawabganj, leaving three people injured.

Video footage of the clash showed the firing of teargas shells and sound grenades at the spot.

Following the incident, home affairs adviser retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on January 20 declared that they had allowed the Border Guard Bangladesh to procure non-lethal weapons like sound grenades and teargas shells.

India has already constructed barbed wire fences along 3,271 kilometres of the 4,156km border shared by the two neighbours, according to Bangladesh authorities.

From January 2009 to November 2024, the BSF reportedly killed 588 Bangladeshis and injured 773 Bangladeshis, according to rights body Odhikar.​

 

[Saif]

BSF kills Bangladeshi youth in B’baria border

A Bangladeshi youth was shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the Madla border under Kasba upazila of the district. The deceased was identified as Shakib, 17, son of Motaleb Hossain, a resident of Madla Guchchagram (Cluster village) in Bayek union of the upazila. Shakib died this

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BSF kills Bangladeshi youth in B’baria border
Published :
May 05, 2025 17:06
Updated :
May 05, 2025 17:06

A Bangladeshi youth was shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the Madla border under Kasba upazila of the district.

The deceased was identified as Shakib, 17, son of Motaleb Hossain, a resident of Madla Guchchagram (Cluster village) in Bayek union of the upazila.

Shakib died this morning while undergoing treatment at Cumilla Medical College Hospital, reports BSS.

The firing incident took place in the border area on Sunday night. An Indian citizen named Sujan Barman, 35, was also shot and injured.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kasba Police Station Abdul Kader said that a Bangladeshi youth named Shakib and an Indian citizen were shot by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the Madla border in Kasba upazila at midnight on Sunday.

The locals sent the injured Shakib to Cumilla and the Indian national to Dhaka, he said.

Kasba Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Samiul Islam said that Shakib went to the Madla border on Sunday night to bring a stolen motorcycle through an Indian youth, Sujon.

At that time, BSF members patrolling the border opened fire on them. Sujon and Shakib were shot. Later, Shakib was taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital in a critical condition, where he died while undergoing treatment on Monday morning. His body has been brought to his home.​

 

[Saif]

India's unilateral 'push-ins' in Bangladesh a blow to already strained ties

India must respect international norms in border conduct

www.thedailystar.net

India's unilateral 'push-ins' in Bangladesh a blow to already strained ties
India must respect international norms in border conduct

VISUAL: STAR

We strongly protest India's action of pushing at least 123 individuals, including Rohingyas and Bangla-speaking people, into Bangladesh through the Kurigram and Khagrachhari border points. Reportedly, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has detained these individuals and is currently verifying their identities, as they possess no IDs or passports. Furthermore, the BGB has issued a high alert along the border and lodged a strong protest note with India's Border Security Force (BSF), advising against such push-ins.

Flag meetings with the BSF have also been requested at various levels. Meanwhile, the Police Headquarters has alerted the superintendents of police in 31 bordering districts to ensure that our national security is not compromised amid the escalation of the India-Pakistan conflict. At a time when tensions between India and Pakistan have reached their highest point in years, it is shocking that India would choose this moment to push individuals into Bangladesh without consulting the Bangladeshi authorities.

We must say that there is no basis in international law for such unilateral "push-ins." In fact, it is entirely contrary to accepted diplomatic norms. Why did India not consult the Bangladeshi government before deciding to send these people? This is a question Bangladesh must raise. At the same time, our border security forces must remain on high alert.

Out of these individuals, 44, including 35 Rohingyas, were detained from the Roumari and Bhurungamari upazilas of Kurigram—30 in Roumari and 14 in Bhurungamari. Meanwhile, in Khagrachhari, at least 79 additional Bangla-speaking individuals were detained after being pushed in through three border points—27 at the Shantipur border in Matiranga upazila, 22 at the Taitong border in Dighinala upazila, and 30 at the Panchhari border in Panchhari upazila. According to a resident of Shantipur who had sheltered one of the individuals arriving from India, these people were flown from Gujarat to Agartala and then forcibly pushed across the border. They were also reportedly warned by BSF personnel never to return, or they would be shot.

We must say that there is no basis in international law for such unilateral "push-ins." In fact, it is entirely contrary to accepted diplomatic norms. Why did India not consult the Bangladeshi government before deciding to send these people? This is a question Bangladesh must raise. At the same time, our border security forces must remain on high alert. After all, we still do not know the identities of the individuals who have been pushed in. Moreover, it remains unclear whether India intends to carry out further push-ins—including of Rohingyas from Myanmar—into Bangladesh in the future.

In their interactions with Indian officials, Bangladesh authorities must make it clear that any such action must involve consultation with the local authorities first. No unilateral decision that threatens our national security, sovereignty, or territorial integrity can be accepted.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh to urge India to stop border push-ins

At least 110 people were pushed in a single day through the Khagrachhari and Kurigram borders by India’s Border Security Force (BSF).

en.prothomalo.com

Bangladesh to urge India to stop border push-ins
Diplomatic Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 09 May 2025, 13: 12

File Photo

In the first week of May, at least 167 people, including Rohingya, were pushed into Bangladesh from India through various border points. Diplomatic sources say more than a hundred others may also be sent in the same way soon.

The government of Bangladesh is seriously concerned about these incidents, which go against the border management system agreed upon by both countries. A senior official told Prothom Alo on Thursday that a formal message will soon be sent to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, requesting urgent steps to stop these push-ins.

From 4 to 7 May, 167 people were pushed into Bangladesh through five districts—73 through Khagrachhari, 46 through Kurigram, 23 through Sylhet, 15 through Moulvibazar, and 10 through Chuadanga—according to diplomatic and law enforcement sources.

At least 110 people were pushed in a single day through the Khagrachhari and Kurigram borders by India’s Border Security Force (BSF). Only eight of them claimed to be Bangladeshi citizens. The rest said they were Rohingya or residents of Gujarat, India.

Sources also said around 200 people were flown from Gujarat to Tripura on a special, unscheduled flight operated by an Indian airline under BSF supervision. Some of them have already been sent into Bangladesh. Others are reportedly still in Agartala and may be sent in the coming days.

In response to the situation, Bangladesh has contacted Indian authorities. Some diplomatic sources said India has provided Dhaka with a list of people it claims crossed into India from Bangladesh in recent years.

A meeting was held at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday to review the issue. It was decided that if any of the pushed-in individuals are confirmed to be Bangladeshi citizens, they may be accepted. However, those whose citizenship cannot be verified will not be allowed to enter.

‘Push back’ not possible

Former officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi say there is no recent precedent for so many push-ins from India within such a short period. They also noted that, in the past, individuals pushed into Bangladesh were often immediately sent back. But this time, that process has not taken place.

According to sources in the local administration and law enforcement, 61 people were arrested last Wednesday by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) for allegedly crossing into Bangladesh through the Doloi area of Kamalganj in Moulvibazar and the Roumari and Bhurungamari borders in Kurigram.

However, 73 people detained in Khagrachhari earlier on Wednesday have not yet been pushed back. Acting Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachhari, Nazmun Ara Sultana, told Prothom Alo that there has been no new incident of people being pushed into Bangladesh in that district.

In Moulvibazar, the BGB arrested 15 people, including women and children, from Kamalganj upazila for illegally crossing the border. Kamalganj UNO Makhon Chandra Sutradhar said the detainees—nine men, three women, and three children—are still being held at a BGB camp and will likely be handed over to the local police.

Diplomatic sources describe the recent push-ins as a serious concern for national security and public sentiment. They say such actions go against several bilateral agreements and understandings, including the 1975 Joint India-Bangladesh Guidelines for Border Authorities, the Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) of 2011, and decisions made during Director General-level talks between the BGB and BSF.

Officials with experience in diplomatic and border affairs recalled that earlier push-ins were usually followed by swift push-backs. In one notable case in January 2003, India attempted to push over 200 people into Bangladesh via the Lalmonirhat border.

Due to Bangladesh’s firm stance, those individuals were stuck at the zero line for nearly two months. The issue was later addressed in diplomatic talks between then Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan and his Indian counterpart Yashwant Sinha. Just before the talks, the group disappeared from the zero line.​

 

[Saif]

Blood on the border

ONE of the most tragic and unresolved human rights crises in South Asia is the deadly border killings by the Indian border forces. India’s Border Security Force kills Bangladeshi civilians despite the many bilateral agreements and repeated diplomatic assurances...

www.newagebd.net

Blood on the border
by Mohammad Asaduzzaman 11 May, 2025, 00:00

Felani Khatun hanging dead from the barbed-wire fence in the border. | Web

ONE of the most tragic and unresolved human rights crises in South Asia is the deadly border killings by the Indian border forces. India’s Border Security Force kills Bangladeshi civilians despite the many bilateral agreements and repeated diplomatic assurances, frequently under the guise of stopping smuggling or illegal crossings. Recent events in 2025 make it abundantly clear that the cycle of violence is far from over and that immediate action is required.

Grim statistical reality

IN THE first quarter of 2025 alone, at least 10 Bangladeshis were reportedly killed in the Bangladesh-India border, with multiple others injured or arrested in violent border clashes. One notable case occurred in early March in Panchagarh district, where Al Amin, a 38-year-old Bangladeshi, was shot dead approximately 150 metres from the border. According to Indian border force officials, the shooting happened during a confrontation with cattle smugglers, with the Indian guards claiming self-defence after one smuggler allegedly attacked an Indian border guard with a knife. However, the Border Guard Bangladesh strongly protested, condemning the killing as a violation of human rights and a breach of the bilateral consensus against the use of lethal weapons on the border. A formal protest was lodged, and the Bangladesh guards demanded justice and accountability.

Such incidents are not isolated. In 2024, 47 Bangladeshis were reportedly shot dead by the Indian guards, with 158 others arrested, according to the Human Rights Support Society. The persistence of these killings, despite diplomatic efforts, underscores the fragile and volatile nature of border security between the two countries.

The scale of the violence is staggering. Between 2000 and 2020, rights groups such as Odhikar and Ain O Salish Kendra documented at least 1,236 Bangladeshis killed and more than 1,145 injured in BSF shooting along the border. In the last decade alone, at least 305 Bangladeshis lost their lives and 282 sustained injuries, according to more recent data from 2015 to 2024.

These figures reveal a disturbing pattern of lethal force used disproportionately against civilians, many of whom are poor farmers or innocent bystanders. Despite India fencing over 3,200 kilometres of the border, the violence continues unabated, suggesting India’s ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy that disregards international norms on the use of force.

Diplomatic strains, failed assurances

THE border killing has for long been a sore point in Bangladesh-India relations. The killing of 15-year-old Felani Khatun in 2011 became a global symbol of the human cost of this conflict, yet the violence has persisted for over a decade. The recent change in Bangladesh’s government in August 2024, following a mass uprising, has further complicated diplomatic ties, with the new administration taking a firmer stance on sovereignty and border security.

Despite a high-level director general conference between the Bangladesh and the Indian border forces in February 2025, where both sides agreed to reduce border killings to zero and increase joint patrols, the killings have not ceased. The agreement also included commitments to exchange intelligence, conduct joint inspections near border constructions, and raise public awareness in border communities. However, these promises remain largely on paper, as evidenced by continued shootings and arrests.

Experts and human rights advocates criticise the Indian approach as excessively militarised and ‘trigger-happy’, calling for a shift from lethal force to lawful and proportionate responses. Dr Mizanur Rahman, a former chair of Bangladesh’s National Human Rights Commission, underscores that international law authorises the use of force on the basis of strict proportionality and self-defence standards, which are frequently disregarded by the Indian border guards.

Impact on Bangladeshis

THE human toll of these killings extends beyond the immediate loss of life. Border communities live in constant fear, their livelihoods disrupted by violence and harassment. Many victims are engaged in subsistence farming or cattle trading, activities that often require approaching the border. The trauma inflicted by losing family members, sometimes children like Felani or Swarna Das, deepens mistrust and resentment towards Indian authorities.

Anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh has been steadily intensifying, fuelled largely by the persistent killings of Bangladeshi civilians by the Indian Border Security Force along the border. These tragic incidents have sparked widespread outrage and resentment among the common people of Bangladesh, who see these acts as blatant violations of human rights and sovereignty. The repeated failure of Indian authorities to effectively curb the ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy and hold perpetrators accountable has deepened public frustration.

Protests and anti-India rhetoric have become more frequent, with many Bangladeshis perceiving India’s stance as indifferent or even hostile towards their lives and dignity. This growing agitation is not limited to political circles; it permeates everyday conversations and social media, where narratives of injustice and calls for justice resonate strongly, further straining the historically friendly ties between the two nations.

This escalating hostility has poisoned the centuries-old people-to-people contact. The old history of cultural interaction, shared celebrations, family ties, and economic reliance has turned to anxiety, mistrust, and loss. Living under the shadow of deadly force, the daily reality of border villages has frayed the social fabric linking the people on both sides. Along with undermining grassroots goodwill, this mistrust hinders diplomatic efforts since public animosity fosters nationalist and opposition narratives that present India as a controlling ‘big brother’ apathetic to Bangladesh’s sovereignty and human rights.

Way forward

THE question remains: when will the border killings end? The answer lies in political will and genuine commitment from both countries, especially India, to respect human rights and uphold bilateral agreements.

India must urgently revise its border management policies, replacing lethal force with non-lethal alternatives and ensuring accountability for violations. Bangladesh, for its part, should continue pressing for justice through diplomatic channels and international forums, if necessary.

Only through sustained dialogue, transparency, and respect for human dignity can the border be transformed from a zone of death into a space of peace and cooperation. Until then, the bloodshed will continue to stain the soil of two neighbouring nations that share not only a border but a common history and future. The persistence of these numbers despite repeated diplomatic dialogues highlights the urgent need for concrete action.

The ongoing border killings are not just statistics; they are human lives lost to a policy that prioritises force over justice. Ending this cycle is imperative — not only for the sake of bilateral relations but for the dignity and safety of the people living along this long and troubled border.

Dr Mohammad Asaduzzaman is a professor of linguistics in the University of Dhaka and director general of the International Mother Language Institute.​

 

[Bilal9]

BSF kills Bangladeshi youth in B’baria border

A Bangladeshi youth was shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the Madla border under Kasba upazila of the district. The deceased was identified as Shakib, 17, son of Motaleb Hossain, a resident of Madla Guchchagram (Cluster village) in Bayek union of the upazila. Shakib died this

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BSF kills Bangladeshi youth in B’baria border
Published :
May 05, 2025 17:06
Updated :
May 05, 2025 17:06

View attachment 17088

A Bangladeshi youth was shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the Madla border under Kasba upazila of the district.

The deceased was identified as Shakib, 17, son of Motaleb Hossain, a resident of Madla Guchchagram (Cluster village) in Bayek union of the upazila.

Shakib died this morning while undergoing treatment at Cumilla Medical College Hospital, reports BSS.

The firing incident took place in the border area on Sunday night. An Indian citizen named Sujan Barman, 35, was also shot and injured.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kasba Police Station Abdul Kader said that a Bangladeshi youth named Shakib and an Indian citizen were shot by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the Madla border in Kasba upazila at midnight on Sunday.

The locals sent the injured Shakib to Cumilla and the Indian national to Dhaka, he said.

Kasba Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Samiul Islam said that Shakib went to the Madla border on Sunday night to bring a stolen motorcycle through an Indian youth, Sujon.

At that time, BSF members patrolling the border opened fire on them. Sujon and Shakib were shot. Later, Shakib was taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital in a critical condition, where he died while undergoing treatment on Monday morning. His body has been brought to his home.​

Time is getting close for accidental death of a few border crosser BSF jawans in "oops sorry, trigger finger" style. Just collateral damage.

 

[Saif]

India’s push-in attempts go on Dhaka sends letter to Delhi

The Border Security Force of India is continuing attempts to push people into Bangladesh territory through different bordering areas amid heightened security measures.

www.newagebd.net

India’s push-in attempts go on Dhaka sends letter to Delhi
Staff Correspondent 14 May, 2025, 00:11

Individuals pushed into Bangladesh by the Indian Border Security Force wait in front of the Shaymnagar police station in Satkhira on Tuesday. | New Age photo

The Border Security Force of India is continuing attempts to push people into Bangladesh territory through different bordering areas amid heightened security measures.

A tense situation was prevailing in the bordering areas on Tuesday as several hundred people were waiting in the Indian side to enter Bangladesh in different areas, including the bordering areas of Khagrachari district, according to local people and Border Guard Bangladesh officials.

About 300 people including Rohingyas and Indian nationals were pushed into Bangladesh between May 7 and May 11, the officials of the law enforcement agencies from bordering districts said.

Dhaka has, meanwhile, requested New Delhi to stop any such attempts to push people into Bangladesh territory through different bordering points.

The request was made in a diplomatic communication sent to New Delhi on May 9, a foreign ministry official in Dhaka confirmed.

While talking to reporters following the ninth meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Law and Order, held at the secretariat in Dhaka on Monday, BGB director general Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui said that the BSF had been attempting to push 200-300 people from the Indian side, opposite to Khagrachari, into Bangladesh for the past two days.

‘BSF could not push them into Bangladesh as we increased our patrolling and vigilance,’ he said and added that India had chosen the remote areas to push people into Bangladesh.

It is not possible to tackle such incidents with physical presence there, he said.

The BGB chief said that the BSF pushed 202 individuals into Bangladesh on May 7 and eight through the unpopulated areas.

He said that among those pushed in were 39 Rohingyas who had previously gone to India from Bangladesh.

Five of the Rohingyas were found to possess identification cards issued by the UNHCR in India.

A flag meeting was convened regarding this matter and the BSF denied the issue as they did always and Bangladesh’s foreign ministry will formally inform India of the meeting, said the BGB chief.

The push-in began on May 7 when 123 people were forced to enter Bangladesh from the Indian side through different border points in Khagrachari and Kurigram districts amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

New Age correspondent in Satkhira reported that the BSF and Indian Navy on May 9 allegedly pushed 78 people into Bangladesh through the Mandarbaria area under the Satkhira range of the Sunderbans West Forest Zone.

Addressing a press conference at the Shaymnagar police station premises on Tuesday, Bangladesh Coast Guard’s west zone operations officer Lieutenant Commander Abrar Hasan said that 75 of them were Bangladeshi citizens and three were Indian nationals.

He said that 75 Bangladeshis were handed over to their families on Tuesday and three Indians were sent to jail through a court in Satkhira on Monday after filing a case with Shyamnagar police station.

‘Most of them had been living in India’s Gujrtat state for years,’ he added.

The BGB has tightened its patrolling along the borders in Rajshahi division following the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan, New Age Staff Correspondent in Rajshahi reported.

The force has also asked the farmers and fishermen not to take their cattle along the borders to feed and not to catch fish in the Padma River at night.

Rajshahi BGB sector commander colonel Md Imran Ibne A Rouf said that they had strengthened their patrolling along the bordering areas of Rajshahi division.

The BGB official said that they had also asked the farmers not to take their cattle along the borders as the cattle might enter Indian territory.

‘We have also asked the fishermen not to catch fish at night as they may trespass into the Indian territory of the Padma River while fishing in the dark of night,’ he added.​

 

[Mainerik]

The outcome of subservient foreign policy of Bangladesh's current regime.

@Bagheera0084 @Krishna with Flute Do you understand Bengali?

 

[Bagheera0084]

@Bagheera0084 @Krishna with Flute Do you understand Bengali?

Nope.

 

[Bilal9]

@Bagheera0084 @Krishna with Flute Do you understand Bengali?

This is Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuaad.

He is holding the Kneel down subservient Bangladesh foreign policy as responsible for BSF-initiated border killings at the India Bangladesh border. He posits that a stronger foreign policy position pursued with India would be constructive in halting BSF crime and misdeeds.

 

[Saif]

Why India’s border ‘push-ins’ are unwarranted

If India’s objective were to combat illegal infiltration, there would have been no need to blindfold and torture these individuals, including women and children, and abandon them in uninhabited terrain along the border. India and Bangladesh have several protocols in place for border management...

en.prothomalo.com

Why India’s border ‘push-ins’ are unwarranted
If India’s objective were to combat illegal infiltration, there would have been no need to blindfold and torture these individuals, including women and children, and abandon them in uninhabited terrain along the border.

Kallol Mustafa
Published: 14 May 2025, 12: 54

The BSF had placed 78 individuals on a ship and abandoned them at Mandarbaria, a remote char in the Sundarbans. These individuals were later rescued by the Coast Guard. Prothom Alo

India’s approach to border management has long been marked by aggression, with frequent reports of the country’s Border Security Force (BSF) resorting to shooting, torturing, or killing Bangladeshi nationals along the border. In recent weeks, this aggressive stance has taken a disturbing turn: a significant number of people have been forcibly pushed into Bangladesh from India.

According to reports published in Prothom Alo, from 4 to 7 May, 167 people were pushed across the border into Bangladesh through five different districts. These included 73 through Khagrachhari, 46 through Kurigram, 23 through Sylhet, 15 through Moulvibazar, and 10 through Chuadanga. Then, on 9 May, the BSF offloaded another 78 individuals in Mandarbaria Char, a remote island in the Sundarbans region of Shyamnagar upazila.

Many of them were severely ill after being deprived of food for days; some bore visible signs of physical abuse, while one had a fractured arm. According to the victims, they were blindfolded, subjected to brutal treatment, and airlifted from Gujarat to Bangladesh.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has confirmed that those pushed into the country include nationals of three countries - Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar.

Among them are long-term Bangladeshi migrants who had lived in India for 20–25 years, often with families, and had obtained Indian Aadhaar cards and other official documents. The Indian authorities reportedly confiscated those documents and forcibly separated individuals from their families before pushing them into Bangladesh.

These push-ins are unlikely to be isolated or accidental. Rather, they suggest a calculated effort by India to exert pressure on Bangladesh's interim administration. This pressure is being exerted in parallel with negative propaganda about Bangladesh in Indian media subservient to the ruling BJP.

There are also Rohingya refugees in the group - some previously registered in camps in Bangladesh, others recognised as refugees in India with valid UNHCR identity cards issued there.

International law and bilateral agreements clearly stipulate that if a foreign national is found to have entered a country illegally, due process must be followed for repatriation. The actions taken by India - bypassing all diplomatic protocols and forcibly pushing people into Bangladesh - are not only illegal but also constitute a gross violation of human rights and international norms.

Bangladesh responded by issuing a diplomatic note of protest to India on 9 May. However, the situation remains tense, with reports indicating that more groups of people are being assembled along the border for further push-ins.

This sudden escalation is not without precedent. In the early 2000s, during the first BJP-led NDA government, push-ins were a common practice. That trend largely subsided following political changes in both countries.

But now, in the wake of Bangladesh’s political transition following the 5 August mass uprising—which led to the fall of the India-aligned Awami League government—India appears to be increasingly putting pressure on Bangladesh.

These push-ins are unlikely to be isolated or accidental. Rather, they suggest a calculated effort by India to exert pressure on Bangladesh's interim administration. This pressure is being exerted in parallel with negative propaganda about Bangladesh in Indian media subservient to the ruling BJP.

Importantly, Bangladesh has not retaliated by suspending India’s access to transit routes or port facilities, despite these being critical to India’s connectivity in the region. Yet, in a unilateral move, India revoked Bangladesh’s transshipment privileges for third-country exports via Indian territory—without any prior notice.

By forcibly expelling Bengali-speaking people and Rohingyas who have resided in its territory for an extended period, India is violating all relevant international laws, norms, and conventions.

Despite protests from Bangladesh, the continued killing of Bangladeshi citizens by BSF and the recent push-ins appear to be part of a broader policy of intimidation and pressure.

If India’s objective were to combat illegal infiltration, there would have been no need to blindfold and torture these individuals, including women and children, and abandon them in uninhabited terrain along the border. India and Bangladesh have several protocols in place for border management. Two key agreements are the Joint India-Bangladesh Guidelines for Border Authorities of the Two Countries (1975) and the India-Bangladesh Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) of 2011.

Under these protocols, all types of border issues, including human trafficking, can be resolved through dialogue. For instance, under the CBMP, nodal officers have been appointed by both the Indian BSF and the Bangladesh BGB to address issues such as illegal infiltration and human trafficking. Their responsibilities include initiating peaceful resolutions to border-related disputes and informing higher authorities when necessary. It is evident that unilaterally pushing large numbers of people into Bangladesh constitutes a violation of the CBMP.

Such forced expulsion is also illegal under international law and customary practice. Article 13 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) states that a person lawfully present in a country shall not be expelled without due process of law.

While this provision formally applies to legal residents, Article 12(4) affirms that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter their own country. According to the UN Human Rights Committee, this right extends even to those lacking legal documentation but who have long resided in a country. As both India and Bangladesh are signatories to the ICCPR, India is clearly violating the agreement by expelling Bengali-speaking individuals who have lived in India for many years.

Furthermore, Article 22 of the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families prohibits the expulsion of any migrant worker or their family members without due legal process. It explicitly forbids mass expulsions, requiring that each case be assessed individually before any decision is made.

Similarly, Article 4 of Protocol no. 4 to the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 22(9) of the American Convention on Human Rights, Article 12(5) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Article 26(1) of the Arab Charter on Human Rights all prohibit the mass expulsion of foreign nationals without due process. (Expulsions of Aliens in International Human Rights Law, OHCHR Discussion Paper, Geneva, 2006)

By forcibly expelling Bengali-speaking people and Rohingyas who have resided in its territory for an extended period, India is violating all relevant international laws, norms, and conventions.

Bangladesh should firmly protest these incidents through diplomatic channels and demand the repatriation of illegally pushed Indian nationals and registered Rohingya refugees through lawful procedures. At the same time, border surveillance must be enhanced to prevent such push-ins from recurring. If these illegal push-ins continue, Bangladesh should consider taking the issue to the United Nations.

* Kallol Mustafa, Writer and Researcher

** This article, originally published Prothom Alo Bangla edition, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat​

 

[Saif]

India must stop border push-ins

India’s action violates international laws, bilateral agreements

www.thedailystar.net

India must stop border push-ins
India’s action violates international laws, bilateral agreements

VISUAL: STAR

India's unilateral push-in of around 300 individuals through various border areas of Bangladesh since May 7 is condemnable, as it violates diplomatic norms and established border management rules. Worryingly, it appears that the push-ins may continue. The BGB chief, in a recent briefing, said they learned about another 200 to 300 individuals who had been gathered on the other side of the Khagrachhari border, and that India's Border Security Force (BSF) is trying to push them into Bangladesh. Under the circumstances, the government has rightly demanded an immediate halt to these unilateral exercises by sending a protest letter to Delhi.

According to media reports, between May 7 and May 9, around 300 individuals were pushed in through areas such as Panchhari, Jamini Para, and Khedachhara in Khagrachhari; parts of Moulvibazar; the Roumari char regions of Kurigram; and Mandarbaria island in the Sundarbans. Among them were at least 39 people from the Rohingya community—some had previously been registered in Bangladesh's Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) camps but later crossed into India, while at least five were found holding UNHCR refugee cards issued from India. Three Indian nationals were also found among the pushed-in people. The rest are Bangladeshis who had migrated to India in the last 20–25 years; many have families and children who possess Indian nationality documents. While the BGB has taken steps to send the Bangladeshi nationals to their respective home districts through local administrations, the wider impact of such random push-ins cannot be overlooked.

It is expected that any return of such individuals would be carried out through proper channels, in line with established norms and regulations. But the way India is pushing people through remote, hard-to-patrol border points into Bangladesh violates the 1975 India-Bangladesh Joint Guidelines for border authorities, the 2011 Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP), and decisions made during director general-level talks between the BGB and BSF. India's actions on its eastern border also set a bad precedent for its relations with neighbouring countries, especially in light of the recent conflict on its western border. And with its ties with Bangladesh already strained since the 2024 July uprising, such unilateral push-ins may only worsen the situation. Most importantly, these actions threaten our border security, which is totally unacceptable.

We urge the government to strongly raise these issues with the Indian authorities, question why Rohingya people were sent to Bangladesh instead of Myanmar, and, most importantly, why proper procedures were not followed in India's actions. If necessary, the government must involve the international community to put an end to such actions.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh fears 'push-in', 'push-back' for 340 people from India

India's Border Security Force (BSF) has reportedly pushed approximately 350 individuals into Bangladesh over the past two weeks, according to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sources. This surge in cross-border movements coincides with heightened regional tensions following the Pahalgam incident in K

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh fears 'push-in', 'push-back' for 340 people from India
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
May 15, 2025 22:40
Updated :
May 15, 2025 22:40

India's Border Security Force (BSF) has reportedly pushed approximately 350 individuals into Bangladesh over the past two weeks, according to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sources.

This surge in cross-border movements coincides with heightened regional tensions following the Pahalgam incident in Kashmir, according to local media.

The BGB has detained 262 of these individuals, comprising 223 Bangladeshi nationals, 19 Rohingyas, and 20 whose identities remain unverified.

Additionally, the Bangladesh Coast Guard apprehended 78 individuals along the Satkhira border, including three Indian nationals by birth, bringing the total number of detainees to 340.

BGB officials have characterised these push-ins as "well-planned and despicable," asserting that the BSF is conducting them in remote, uninhabited areas to evade detection. Despite Bangladesh lodging formal protests and sending diplomatic notes to India, there has been little response from Delhi. In response, the BGB has intensified surveillance and patrols along the border to prevent further unauthorised entries.

The BGB has also indicated that, considering the circumstances, Bangladesh is contemplating reciprocal measures. These developments have raised concerns about border security and the need for effective bilateral communication to address the issue.​

 

[Saif]

BGB, locals foil BSF bid to push 750 people into Bangladesh along B'baria

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and locals have reportedly resisted an attempt by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to push 750 people into Bangladesh through the border in Brahmanbaria district early Friday. A tense situation prevailed along the borders between the frontier guards overnigh

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BGB, locals foil BSF bid to push 750 people into Bangladesh along B'baria

Published :
May 16, 2025 14:52
Updated :
May 16, 2025 14:52

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and locals have reportedly resisted an attempt by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to push 750 people into Bangladesh through the border in Brahmanbaria district early Friday.

A tense situation prevailed along the borders between the frontier guards overnight, said locals.

Sources said that Indian law enforcers have recently detained over 600 people in the state of Tripura and 148 in Rajasthan during a countrywide crackdown, with New Delhi claiming that most of them are Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, according to a UNB report.

The BSF reportedly took the detainees to a bordering area to push them into Bangladesh through the Singarbil border of Bijoynagar upazila of the district around 2:00 am.

Being informed, the BGB took position while locals also gathered along the border to resist the push-in.

Local union parishad member Mamun Chowdhury said the BSF was forced to go back when the BGB and locals took position along the border.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sadhana Tripura said, “The situation is now normal along the border. The push-in attempt by the BSF has been resisted by the BGB and locals. All remain on alert.”

Lt Col Jabbar Ahammed, commandant of the BGB-25 Battalion, said they took a cautious position after being informed about the possible push-in, and curious locals also gathered at the border.​

 

[Saif]

Home advisor downplays India's border ‘push-ins’

Amid rising instances of people being driven into Bangladesh across various borders from India, Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said these “push-ins” do not necessarily exhibit provocative intentions by India as such incidents were common during his tenure as chief of the count

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Home advisor downplays India's border ‘push-ins’
bdnews24.com
Published :
May 17, 2025 16:42
Updated :
May 17, 2025 16:42

Amid rising instances of people being driven into Bangladesh across various borders from India, Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said these “push-ins” do not necessarily exhibit provocative intentions by India as such incidents were common during his tenure as chief of the country's border security force.

Jahangir made the remarks in response to questions from reporters after inaugurating the third floating border outpost (BOP) at the confluence of Roymongol River and Boyesing Canal under Shyamnagar Upazila in Satkhira on Saturday.

On Sunday, India's Border Security Force (BSF) pushed a group of 78 “Bengali-speaking” across the border into Bangladesh and left them on Mandarbaria shoal in Satkhira before they were rescued by the Forest Department and later handed over to the local police station by the Coast Guard.

The newly set up BOP was located near the Indian border, about 20km from the Mandarbaria shoal.

“It [push-in] does not seem provocative. Since they have done this before, long ago, when I was DG [director general] BDR [now BGB]."

Jahangir was the chief of the now defunct BDR from January 2003 to February 2006.

Outlining steps he took when similar incidents had taken place while he was in charge of the paramilitary force, he said: “We have told them that if any Bangladeshis are in India, send them back through proper channels. There’s always a proper channel. I’ve also sent Indians who were in Bangladesh back through proper channels.

“But we do not push anyone in.”

Jahangir said a letter will be written to India to seek a diplomatic solution to put a stop to these incidents. He also said that he had spoken to Khalilur Rahman, the chief advisor’s top aide who is also the foreign affairs and national security advisor, about the matter.

On why these incidents are taking place, he said: “A few days ago, you heard that there was a colony in Gujarat, like a Bengali colony, a Bengali slum. They [Indian authorities] tore it down. What’s happening now began after that.”

Since then, the BGB has reported at least 370 people being pushed across various points of the border into Bangladesh by the BSF.

Jahangir also said a “protest letter” has been sent regarding the "push-in" of UNHCR cardholders across the border. “Some Rohingya people are also coming in. They were in our country and had left. [India] is also sending over Rohingya refugees. So we have sent a protest letter.”

On whether any action will be taken against illegal Indian nationals in Bangladesh, he said: “I will not say that there are no illegal Indians in Bangladesh either, but I request you to let us know if there are any, so that we can send them back through proper channels."

Jahangir firmly maintained that no citizens of Bangladesh would be “pushed back”.

“We have no right to push back [Bangladeshi citizens]. And about the illegal Indians, we will not push them back. We will send them through the proper channels.”

EFFORTS TO PREVENT “PUSH-INS”

Also present at the inauguration ceremony was BGB Director General (DG) Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui.

He said, "The areas where push-ins are mainly occurring are Beanibazar, Srimangal, Habiganj in Sylhet. Meanwhile, it is mainly happening in the shoal areas and remote places of Rowmari in Kurigram district, and to some extent in the uninhabited areas of the Chattogram Hill Tracts.

"We are trying to prevent this. To be honest, there were some push-ins this morning too. Since our border is so expansive, it is not possible to guard every spot. That is why we have sought the help of the people and we are also taking the help of the Ansar."

The foreign ministry announced an “all-out effort” by the BGB at the border, he said, adding that flag meetings, protest letters and other actions are in progress as well.

Turning to the issue of involving the public in these measures, he said: "If the locals also keep watch on those near their border and inform our patrols about any potential push-ins, they can quickly respond."

He also said that their patrols and manpower have been boosted and sought “information support” from the public.

On whether militants or criminals could possibly enter the country during these incidents, Ashrafuzzaman said: "Nothing can be ruled out. Everything is possible from all sides. However, we are trying to ensure strong security so that no harm comes to our country."​

 

[Saif]

India’s push-in strategy

DESPITE deep ties between Bangladesh and India in the geopolitical landscape of South Asia, India’s approach to border management has often been aggressive, escalating tensions with its neighbours. Recently, a complex diplomatic conflict has emerged over ‘push-in’ incidents along the...

www.newagebd.net

India’s push-in strategy
Mohammad Asaduzzaman 21 May, 2025, 00:00

The Department of Forest hands over a group of people to Bangladesh Coast Guard, allegedly pushed into the country by the Indian Border Security Force on May 10-11 through bordering Mandarbaria in Satkhira. | Focus Bangla photo

DESPITE deep ties between Bangladesh and India in the geopolitical landscape of South Asia, India’s approach to border management has often been aggressive, escalating tensions with its neighbours. Recently, a complex diplomatic conflict has emerged over ‘push-in’ incidents along the India-Bangladesh border, where Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) have been forcing people into Bangladeshi territory. This practice of pushing so-called undocumented Bangladeshis — and even Rohingyas and Indian nationals labelled as Bangladeshis — across the border reflects an aggressive aspect of India’s hegemonic stance. Is this merely a border security issue, or has it become a strategic political tool? The political motives behind India’s ‘push-in’ strategy, along with its diplomatic and humanitarian implications and the resulting challenges for Bangladesh, deserve scrutiny.

What is push-in and why is it concerning?

‘PUSH-IN’ refers to the forced repatriation of individuals into a country without following any legal or judicial process. What India perceives as a pushback is, from Bangladesh’s perspective, a push-in. According to international human rights and migration laws, this practice is controversial and considered unlawful. In the first half of May 2025 alone, around 300 individuals were reportedly pushed into Bangladesh by India — many of whom had been residing in Indian states like Gujarat and Rajasthan for years. Among them were Rohingyas and even Indian nationals. On the early morning of May 9, Indian authorities allegedly pushed 75 Bangladeshi Muslims and 3 Indian Muslims into Mandarbaria Char in the Sundarbans. This occurred amid heightened tensions following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, suggesting a deliberate act. India has employed this strategy previously along the borders of West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura. Recently, Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), stated that the BSF is systematically pushing Rohingya refugees and some Bangladeshi citizens into Bangladesh. Though India denies these allegations, the incidents are becoming increasingly alarming.

India’s strategic intent

INDIA’S push-in operations appear to be a calculated political and strategic pressure tactic. In the context of implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the issue of ‘illegal Bangladeshi immigrants’ continues to be politically weaponised. The CAA of 2019 offers citizenship to persecuted minorities from three Muslim-majority countries — Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan — who entered India before December 31, 2014. This law carries an implicit assumption that minorities in these countries are systematically oppressed, which undermines India’s secular character. The BJP government uses such tools to stoke nationalist sentiments. Through this push-in strategy, India may be subtly pressuring Bangladesh to ‘take back’ alleged undocumented Bangladeshis. However, under international law, no state can be forced to accept individuals against its will. Yet India continues to exert such pressure through indirect means.

BJP’s nationalist narrative and Bangladesh’s position

THE BJP and its Hindutva-aligned groups frequently raise the alarm over alleged illegal Muslim infiltration from Bangladesh, using it as a political device. The term ‘Bangladeshi infiltrator’ is portrayed as a serious social and cultural threat. Through this narrative, the government presents itself as taking a strong stance, where ‘patriotism’ is equated with strict border control and zero tolerance for infiltration. Consequently, the push-in policy becomes a tool for shaping public opinion. So far, Bangladesh has maintained a cautious and restrained stance. Each time such incidents occur, formal protests are lodged through the BGB and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, India typically denies any direct involvement and attempts to deflect blame. For Bangladesh, this is not just a humanitarian concern — it is also a diplomatic and national security challenge. Bangladesh is already burdened by international pressure and financial costs due to the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis. India’s push-in strategy only adds to the strain, triggering security threats in border areas and growing resentment among local communities.

Violation of international law

ACCORDING to the UN Refugee Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and international migration policies, it is illegal to return refugees or asylum seekers without proper legal process forcibly. The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol prohibit such actions under the principle of non-refoulement. Push-backs typically deny individuals the opportunity to apply for asylum, violating their right to due process as guaranteed under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Article 14 of the UDHR specifically states that everyone has the right to seek and enjoy asylum in another country. Moreover, under the Convention Against Torture, no individual may be returned to a country where they risk torture. The forced repatriation of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh further undermines India’s human rights record in the eyes of the international community. Rohingyas who fled Myanmar are not Bangladeshi citizens; if India wishes to return them, it should do so to Myanmar, not impose the burden on Bangladesh.

Consequences and possible solutions

IF THIS situation continues, it could seriously damage Bangladesh-India diplomatic relations. Prolonged tensions may escalate border conflicts and undermine regional cooperation on migration management, weakening South Asia’s image in global forums. What should be done? Both countries must pursue resolution through bilateral dialogue. Establishing a joint forum on migration and refugee issues could lead to a shared framework. Bangladesh could also raise the matter at the United Nations, especially regarding the forced relocation of Rohingya refugees. Domestically, Bangladesh must ensure strong border surveillance and accurate verification of identities through agencies like the BGB and the national ID/passport authority. Moreover, India should be held accountable to uphold international standards. A bilateral agreement is needed that focuses on shared humanitarian values and the rights of border communities, treating migration not as a political weapon but as a human issue.

Finally, India’s push-in operations are not merely border control measures; they represent a strategic manoeuvre in South Asia’s evolving geopolitical game. These actions serve as tools for nationalist politics on one hand, while simultaneously violating human rights and diplomatic norms on the other. This not only affects the physical border but also erodes the foundation of trust between the two countries. For Bangladesh, this is a strategic challenge requiring visionary foreign policy, internal cohesion, and global support. A shared approach rooted in humanity, not political expediency, must guide future border policies between the two nations.

Dr Mohammad Asaduzzaman is a professor of linguistics at the University of Dhaka and director general of International Mother Language Institute.​

 

[Saif]

Indian citizens must be taken back: Touhid Hossain

Foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain said that it is not clear yet on whether the people who have recently been 'pushed in' (forcibly sent) from India to Bangladesh will be “pushed back” (forcibly returned). However, those who are proven to be Indian citizens must be taken back, he added.

en.prothomalo.com

Indian citizens must be taken back: Touhid Hossain
Diplomatic Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 21 May 2025, 22: 06

Foreign affairs adviser Md. Touhid Hossain Prothom Alo file photo

Foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain said that it is not clear yet on whether the people who have recently been 'pushed in' (forcibly sent) from India to Bangladesh will be “pushed back” (forcibly returned).

However, those who are proven to be Indian citizens must be taken back, he added.

The foreign adviser made these remarks in response to journalists' questions at the foreign ministry on Wednesday afternoon.

When asked whether the Indian citizens or Rohingyas pushed into Bangladesh would be pushed back, the adviser said, “So far, I have no clear decision on this matter. We generally do not carry out pushbacks. However, those who are proven to be Indian citizens must be taken back.”

Asked whether Bangladesh communicated with India to stop the push-ins, he said, “We are maintaining communication with Delhi and trying to ensure that nothing happens outside the rules.”

When asked how India responded, Touhid Hossain said, “We do not expect a response within a day. They have stated their position to some extent. We have explained our position to them—we are making it clear that such push-ins are not acceptable. We have told them that we have a standard operating procedure which we’ll follow. They have given us a list, and we are verifying those lists through the home ministry.”

Asked about reviewing the agreements signed with India, the adviser said, “Several minor agreements and memoranda of understanding have been signed over time and those were shared with you as they happened. According to those agreements, they must be cancelled with mutual consent, or there may be provisions allowing cancellation if one party objects. We haven’t canceled any of them. We actually want everything to move forward according to the rules.”

The adviser mentioned that they are trying to identify Bangladesh's stance on the agreements with India and pinpoint where the problems lie. He stated that these issues would be discussed with India at the appropriate time.

When asked whether India is violating the rules, adviser Touhid Hossain responded, “Rules can be interpreted in many ways—sometimes positively, sometimes negatively. Altogether, we are trying to move forward accordingly. No one admits that they are violating the rules.”

In response to a question about whether there has been any communication with India regarding the halt in ready-made garment exports through Indian land ports, the adviser said that a letter is being sent about the matter, and the commerce adviser is handling it.​

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh should firmly protest these incidents through diplomatic channels and demand the repatriation of illegally pushed Indian nationals and registered Rohingya refugees through lawful procedures. At the same time, border surveillance must be enhanced to prevent such push-ins from recurring. If these illegal push-ins continue, Bangladesh should consider taking the issue to the United Nations.

Instead of whining about it - Bangladesh should increase tariffs on import of all Indian goods gradually, as these push ins increase, and at the same time identify and fire all Indian nationals illegally working in Bangladesh and promptly kick them out.

Tit-for-tat is the only language these people will understand.

 

[Saif]

India’s ‘push-in’ policy: What is the message for Bangladesh?

These push-in operations are political signals—of frustration and control.

www.thedailystar.net

India’s ‘push-in’ policy: What is the message for Bangladesh?

VISUAL: BIPLOB CHAKROBORTY

In a region already riddled with border disputes, demographic anxieties, and geopolitical tensions, India has added a controversial new chapter to its neighbourhood diplomacy. Over the past few weeks, New Delhi has unleashed a wave of "push-in" operations, forcibly expelling alleged illegal migrants—mostly Bangla-speaking Muslims—into Bangladesh, without due process, verification or diplomatic coordination. These actions are not just inhumane or unlawful; they are a clear violation of international norms, aimed at pressuring Dhaka and reasserting regional dominance at a time when Delhi's Kashmir calculus lies in tatters. How else would you describe the situation when poor, vulnerable people were flown across states and dropped at the border of a sovereign nation? In any other global context, this would have made headlines: mass deportations without trial, detentions without court appearances, and midnight border dumps of children, women, and even Rohingya refugees protected under UNHCR mandates.

But when it comes to India, global outrage has a strange habit of taking a sabbatical.

Let us connect the dots. Despite its muscular rhetoric, Delhi's realpolitik ambitions are facing diminishing returns. Having failed to assert itself against Pakistan, and amid increasing tensions with China, it seems India now sees Bangladesh as the safer punching bag—the soft target next door.

Push-in operations are not just about a few hundred unfortunates being kicked across the barbed wires. They are political signals—of frustration and control. It is a continuation of a pattern, an imperial hangover dressed as a "regional security policy."

The absurdity of India's push-in narrative lies in its shifting justifications. According to Indian sources, the "illegal migrants" being expelled are Bangladeshis. Yet, several media reports suggest that among those detained in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Tripura are Indian Bangla-speaking Muslims—some allegedly with valid Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and decades-long residence records. In many cases, entire families were picked up in random raids, herded into detention centres, and dispatched to border areas, as though they were disposable items in a political experiment.

Consider the grotesque irony: India, a country that has hosted Tibetan refugees, Sri Lankan Tamils, and Afghans, is now unable—or perhaps unwilling—to distinguish between its own marginalised citizens and foreign nationals. Bangla-speaking Muslims from West Bengal and Assam have been allegedly rounded up alongside suspected Bangladeshis. This is not immigration enforcement; it is demographic profiling, cloaked in the BJP's nationalist jargon.

Intelligence reports warn that India's push-in game bears eerie similarities to Myanmar's infamous ethnic cleansing of the Rohingyas. Like the generals in Naypyidaw, Delhi seems to believe that forcibly transferring "unwanted" populations into a neighbouring country will help clean up its demographic and security problems. In fact, at least five Rohingya refugees with verified UNHCR cards from India were among those recently pushed into Bangladesh. Some were blindfolded, airlifted from Gujarat, and dumped near border char lands in Shyamnagar, ill and injured.

One such detainee, Obaidul Khandaker from Cooch Behar, testified to the BBC that he showed his Indian identity documents, only to be told they needed "verification." After 10 days in detention—with barely any food, no legal hearing, and no information to his family—he returned home to find his house looted and his power line cut. He says he will never again work in India's western states. So we ask: is this the "vishwaguru" that India claims itself to be?

Intelligence reports warn that India's push-in game bears eerie similarities to Myanmar's infamous ethnic cleansing of the Rohingyas. Like the generals in Naypyidaw, Delhi seems to believe that forcibly transferring "unwanted" populations into a neighbouring country will help clean up its demographic and security problems. In fact, at least five Rohingya refugees with verified UNHCR cards from India were among those recently pushed into Bangladesh. Some were blindfolded, airlifted from Gujarat, and dumped near border char lands in Shyamnagar, ill and injured.

It also speaks volumes about India's evolving security doctrine, which no longer sees soft power and cooperation as tools of influence in South Asia. Today it's push-in, forcibly into its neighbour. Tomorrow it may be "push-out" of bilateral trade deals, water treaties, and transit arrangements.

The 4,096-km Bangladesh-India border is already among the most militarised in the world, with more than 3,200 km fenced. One would assume such a landscape was meant to prevent illegal crossings. Instead, it's now a human conveyor belt where the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) plays the role of a forceful usher, marching off detainees and dumping them unannounced on Bangladeshi soil.

Between May 4 and May 15 alone, 370 people were pushed into Bangladesh, including minors, pregnant women, and elderly individuals. Some were tortured, according to a report by The Daily Star. Others arrived barefoot, starved, and terrified. These actions are in clear violation of international conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights—both of which India is a signatory to.

More importantly, India's actions shred the very spirit of neighbourly cooperation. India did not consult Dhaka. It did not provide proper documentation. And when approached through diplomatic channels, its Ministry of External Affairs replied with radial silence. India has not even confirmed whether those expelled are verified Bangladeshis. India's Ministry of Home Affairs, under whose directive the detentions have intensified post-Pahalgam attack, has yet to clarify why Bangalee Muslims from West Bengal and Assam were caught in this dragnet. Instead, Rajasthan Law Minister Jogaram Patel publicly bragged about flying "Bangladeshis" to Kolkata.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has a history of making inflammatory anti-Muslim statements, has endorsed a "pushback mechanism" to "check infiltration."

Dhaka must not remain silent. The Bangladesh foreign ministry's timid letter to New Delhi, regarding India's attempt to push in people into Bangladesh, is hardly adequate. What we need is vocal, strategic, and multilateral diplomacy. We must raise this issue at the UN, UNHCR, and other international human rights forums. Bangladesh must also demand clarity on these operations from India. The government should document and archive each push-in case, and explore legal avenues to hold India accountable.

Additionally, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) must enhance surveillance and refuse entry to any individual not processed through bilateral mechanisms. Bangladesh should not be made the dumping ground for India's communal anxieties. Let it be said clearly: if India wants to be the regional leader it claims to be, it must first stop such disruptive actions. Friendship cannot be built on fear, nor can neighbourhood policy be guided by electoral calculations or RSS paranoia.

H.M. Nazmul Alam is an academic, journalist, and political analyst.​

 

[Saif]

Tit-for-tat is the only language these people will understand.

Our foreign ministry is coward hence unable to respond to Indian push-ins befittingly.

 

[Mainerik]

Instead of whining about it - Bangladesh should increase tariffs on import of all Indian goods gradually, as these push ins increase, and at the same time identify and fire all Indian nationals illegally working in Bangladesh and promptly kick them out.

Tit-for-tat is the only language these people will understand.

@Krishna with Flute

 

[Krishna with Flute]

@Krishna with Flute

I have told him many times that India's export is above 800 BN USD. India's export to BD is just 15 BN USD. It is below 2% of India's export. Even if it becomes zero, it won't affect India atall. On the other hand, India withdrawing transhipment and other facilities will hit BD very hard. He is still of opinion that BD tariff can hurt India. I am tired of explaining him the matter. Let him say whatever he wants. BD is ruled by a foreign puppet on the advice of radicals. It will meet the future which it deserve.

 

[Saif]

I have told him many times that India's export is above 800 BN USD. India's export to BD is just 15 BN USD. It is below 2% of India's export. Even if it becomes zero, it won't affect India atall. On the other hand, India withdrawing transhipment and other facilities will hit BD very hard. He is still of opinion that BD tariff can hurt India. I am tired of explaining him the matter. Let him say whatever he wants. BD is ruled by a foreign puppet on the advice of radicals. It will meet the future which it deserve.

I thought you had overcome your comprehension problem. But now I see that I was wrong. India's export to Bangladesh stands at $15 billion which makes Bangladesh the largest export market for India in South Asia and 8th largest in the world. If we impose tariffs on India's products then it will hurt your farmers and business people hard. On the other hand, Bangladesh's export to India is just $1.3 billion. So, if India imposes tariffs on Bangladeshi products it will have minimum impact on Bangladeshi business people. Also, if we revoke transit facility that has been given to India to transport goods to its North Eastern region, it will have deleterious effect on the economy of your 7 sisters.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

I thought you had overcome your comprehension problem. But now I see that I was wrong. India's export to Bangladesh stands at $15 billion which makes Bangladesh the largest export market for India in South Asia and 8th largest in the world. If we impose tariffs on India's products then it will hurt your farmers and business people hard. On the other hand, Bangladesh's export to India is just $1.3 billion. So, if India imposes tariffs on Bangladeshi products it will have minimum impact on Bangladeshi business people. Also, if we revoke transit facility that has been given to India to transport goods to its North Eastern region, it will have deleterious effect on the economy of your 7 sisters.

What you failed to comprehend was those sh**Y 15 bn USD export is less than 2% of our export. Out of that, there are many items such as food items. We have already banned them to maintain stock. It is in high demand. If BD do not buy from us, we have a long line of customers who needs it and we are unable to provide. Pakistan had also tried that but what they ended up was ultimately buying Indian goods through UAE at a higher price.

You are talking of seven sister access, but your country is totally surrounded by India with whom you share 4100 K.M.s of border. If you stop our access to seven sisters, we can go there through Siliguri corridor or through Mynamar or even through Nepal. It will be a bit longer. Now imagine we stop your air traffic over India. How will you go to gulf or even in the east or north. How will you go to even Vietnam and China?

 

[Saif]

What you failed to comprehend was those sh**Y 15 bn USD export is less than 2% of our export. Out of that, there are many items such as food items. We have already banned them to maintain stock. It is in high demand. If BD do not buy from us, we have a long line of customers who needs it and we are unable to provide. Pakistan had also tried that but what they ended up was ultimately buying Indian goods through UAE at a higher price.

You are talking of seven sister access, but your country is totally surrounded by India with whom you share 4100 K.M.s of border. If you stop our access to seven sisters, we can go there through Siliguri corridor or through Mynamar or even through Nepal. It will be a bit longer. Now imagine we stop your air traffic over India. How will you go to gulf or even in the east or north. How will you go to even Vietnam and China?

Your lack of communication skill is awful. I was not talking about your total export. I was talking about your regional export. Regionally we are the largest contributor to your impoverished economy. On the other hand your contribution to our economy is minuscule. If we stop trading with you we lose nothing. But you lose the largest regional market for your products. $15 billion is a lot money for a poverty stricken country like India. It doesn't hurt us being surrounded by you on three sides because we have the sea to communicate with the rest of the world. Your 7 sisters need us to get access to the sea. Going through Siliguri corridor to connect to your 7 sisters is not economically viable and this is precisely why your country begged for transit through Bangladesh. We don't use your airspace to go to China, and Vietnam. You do use your airspace to go to Gulf countries though. If you stop air transit we can easily go to the Gulf states using Sri Lanka's air space. We just have to make a deal with the Sri-Lankan government. But if we stop air transit for India, how will you go to your 7 sisters or how will your 7 sisters go to the rest of India by air? You also need to use our air space to go to the Eastern countries.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Your lack of communication skill is awful. I was not talking about your total export. I was talking about your regional export. Regionally we are the largest contributor to your impoverished economy. On the other hand your contribution to our economy is minuscule. If we stop trading with you we lose nothing. But you lose the largest regional market for your products. $15 billion is a lot money for a poverty stricken country like India. It doesn't hurt us being surrounded by you on three sides because we have the sea to communicate with the rest of the world. Your 7 sisters need us to get access to the sea. Going through Siliguri corridor to connect to your 7 sisters is not economically viable and this is precisely why your country begged for transit through Bangladesh. We don't use your airspace to go to China, and Vietnam. You do use your airspace to go to Gulf countries though. If you stop air transit we can easily go to the Gulf states using Sri Lanka's air space. We just have to make a deal with the Sri-Lankan government. But if we stop air transit for India, how will you go to your 7 sisters or how will your 7 sisters go to the rest of India by air? You also need to use our air space to go to the Eastern countries.

Your export to India is small because you do not have anything to export. You are not obliging us by importing goods or services from us. You do that because you can do that at least cost compared to anywhere else. Ofcourse, passing through BD is cost effective but what about BD using infrastructure and air space. Imagine, we block our airspace for your flight for westward travels. The problem with you guy is that you never evaluate any issue in terms of profit and loss on both side. You just evaluate issue from the point of view of losses to enemy. Since BD has taken many measures to block Indian trade, wait and see the result. This is the reason why BD is a rogue state and fake democracy where any elected government can be thrown out with ease any time and majority of people support such undemocratic act.

 

[Bilal9]

On the other hand, India withdrawing transhipment and other facilities will hit BD very hard.

But if we stop air transit for India, how will you go to your 7 sisters or how will your 7 sisters go to the rest of India by air? You also need to use our air space to go to the Eastern countries.

I agree with Saif on this, majority of Indian (and SE Asian) flights going to SE Asia pass Bangladesh air space (including EEZ). Re-routing will be quite expensive to the point of cancelling routes.

Messing with ICAO rules risks severe sanctions from ICAO for Indian flag carriers and private Indian air carriers. Countries like India cannot willy-nilly do whatever they want, especially re: air travel and serving foreign airports, there are rules. Indian carriers will be denied landing rights.

Third world countries like in the subcontinent would be ill-advised to mess with Int'l law.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

I agree with Saif on this, majority of Indian (and SE Asian) flights going to SE Asia pass Bangladesh air space (including EEZ). Re-routing will be quite expensive to the point of cancelling routes.

How much rerouting will happen? I think you have no idea of the geography of BD.

So far as permission of flying over, many times Pakistan has blocked Indian flights flying over Pakistan and many times India too have denied Pakistan flight over Indian territory. I have not seen any consequences because of that.

I would once again say that while you guys evaluate the effect of any action, you just evaluate the loss to enemy and not the loss to yourself. Pakistan has that bad habit which has resulted into huge financial loss to Pakistan without anyway hurting India financially.

 

[Saif]

Your export to India is small because you do not have anything to export. You are not obliging us by importing goods or services from us. You do that because you can do that at least cost compared to anywhere else. Ofcourse, passing through BD is cost effective but what about BD using infrastructure and air space. Imagine, we block our airspace for your flight for westward travels. The problem with you guy is that you never evaluate any issue in terms of profit and loss on both side. You just evaluate issue from the point of view of losses to enemy. Since BD has taken many measures to block Indian trade, wait and see the result. This is the reason why BD is a rogue state and fake democracy where any elected government can be thrown out with ease any time and majority of people support such undemocratic act.

Talking with you is tantamount to talking with a tree. Your RSS trained brain prohibits you to see the obvious. India is nothing but a huge landmass with zero strategic value that needs Bangladesh and Pakistan to connect to its own 7 sisters, Eastern and Western part of the world respectively. Study the map. Neither Bangladesh nor Pakistan needs India to connect to the rest of the world. Peace.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Talking with you is tantamount to talking with a tree. Your RSS trained brain prohibits you to see the obvious. India is nothing but a huge landmass with zero strategic value that needs Bangladesh and Pakistan to connect to its own 7 sisters, Eastern and Western part of the world respectively. Study the map. Neither Bangladesh nor Pakistan needs India to connect to the rest of the world. Peace.

You guys never fails to amuse me. Your confidence sounds great particularly when your nation has a challenge to manage rice for your population.

 

[Bilal9]

How much rerouting will happen? I think you have no idea of the geography of BD.

So far as permission of flying over, many times Pakistan has blocked Indian flights flying over Pakistan and many times India too have denied Pakistan flight over Indian territory. I have not seen any consequences because of that.

I would once again say that while you guys evaluate the effect of any action, you just evaluate the loss to enemy and not the loss to yourself. Pakistan has that bad habit which has resulted into huge financial loss to Pakistan without anyway hurting India financially.

I don't think Bangladesh (even the current interim govt.) are worried about chest-puffery and schwanz-measuring with India. That is not our priority now and we don't have time for it.

Bangladesh' defense policy is purely reactive WRT India. We have ten divisions to deploy and deal with any costly Indian adventurism and India will think long and hard before attempting anything stupid, despite threats by Indian leaders.

India counts little in Bangladeshi world view anymore (with Hasina's exit), with Bangladesh' "Look-East" policy (even decades before India started this policy) counting hopefully for

1. becoming a part of ASEAN (with observer status at first)
2. becoming an important economic partner with China and to
3. becoming a post-Asian-Tiger manufacturing powerhouse

Economic uplift for our people is our priority, not buying more useless arms to spar with neighbors which has no utility.

Indians obsess more about Bangladesh than vice versa - because Bangladesh is now outside of Indian sphere of influence, culturally, intellectually and economically which is apparently a big loss to India and Indians, going by all the screaming in Godi Media.

Bangladeshis are simply more focused on job growth and economy (always have been), we can do without all the loud Indian saber-rattling BS and chest-puffery which is more make-believe than real.

I refer to Kishore Mahbubani (Singaporean Scholar) who posits that Western dominance, which has lasted for about 200 years, is a historical aberration and is coming to an end in Asia.

Similarly, it can be now extrapolated that the unwelcome Indian dominance in Bangladesh, which lasted since 1971 because of some corrupt Bangladeshi leaders, is also considered a historical aberration now and thankfully is part of the past.

Bangladesh has chosen a different path for its economic future and the best Indians can do is leave us alone.

Brothers @Saif, @PakistanProud, @Mainerik, @Ghazi52 and @Jiangnan - your thoughts.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Bangladesh' defense policy is purely reactive WRT India. We have ten divisions to deploy and deal with any costly Indian adventurism and India will think long and hard before attempting anything stupid, despite threats by Indian leaders.

BD defence policy is purely provocative in nature. BD invited China to establish a base in Chicken neck just 15 k.m. from border. Radical elements in BD are active and effective. Weak Younus can not practice a foreign policy in best interest of BD.

Pakistan too had a misconception like being a capable nation to defend itself. It just took less than half of an hour to to India to brought them to their knees. You can work out how long BD would take for India to repeat what we did to Pakistan

1. becoming a part of ASEAN (with observer status at first)
2. becoming an important economic partner with China and to
3. becoming a post-Asian-Tiger manufacturing powerhouse

Appreciate third point though far from becoming reality.
So far as becoming economic Partner with China, many nation tried it including Pakistan. What they end up with is just debt trap. I wish BD best of luck.

Indians obsess more about Bangladesh than vice versa - because Bangladesh is now outside of Indian sphere of influence, culturally, intellectually and economically which is apparently a big loss to India and Indians, going by all the screaming in Godi Media.

BD is too small for India to obsessed with.

Bangladeshis are simply more focused on job growth and economy (always have been), we can do without all the loud Indian saber-rattling BS and chest-puffery which is more make-believe than real.

That is not true. A nation majority Muslims and radicalism on rise can not have single pointed focus on economy.

Similarly, it can be now extrapolated that the unwelcome Indian dominance in Bangladesh, which lasted since 1971 because of some corrupt Bangladeshi leaders, is also considered a historical aberration now and thankfully is part of the past.

India is a friendly country for all our neighbours. However, no Hindu or Jew nation can be a friendly nation to Muslim majority nation, Particularly converted. Thir badi kitab teaches them to be anti Hindus and anti Jews. In fact, our interest In BD is limited to limited to our security concern. There is a big possibility that they may Ignore even their interest to harm India. Pakistan is an example.

Bangladesh has chosen a different path for its economic future and the best Indians can do is leave us alone

We too want economic progress of BD. If they don't try to mess with our security concern, we don't have any issues with BD. However, if BD does like what Younus did, we shall be compelled to meddle into the affairs of BD If you try to give base to China near Chiken neck, consequences will follow. Pakistan tried to do CPEC,. Where is CPEC today. That is our capability to meddle. So try only those things, whose consequences are bearable to BD.Your nation has many fault lines. The day India starts to treat you as enemy like Pakistan, it will not take India more than decade to implode BD and make some small nations out of BD out of those few will merge with India.

 

[Bilal9]

BD defence policy is purely provocative in nature. BD invited China to establish a base in Chicken neck just 15 k.m. from border. Radical elements in BD are active and effective. Weak Younus can not practice a foreign policy in best interest of BD.

Pakistan too had a misconception like being a capable nation to defend itself. It just took less than half of an hour to to India to brought them to their knees. You can work out how long BD would take for India to repeat what we did to Pakistan

Appreciate third point though far from becoming reality.
So far as becoming economic Partner with China, many nation tried it including Pakistan. What they end up with is just debt trap. I wish BD best of luck.


BD is too small for India to obsessed with.

That is not true. A nation majority Muslims and radicalism on rise can not have single pointed focus on economy.

India is a friendly country for all our neighbours. However, no Hindu or Jew nation can be a friendly nation to Muslim majority nation, Particularly converted. Thir badi kitab teaches them to be anti Hindus and anti Jews. In fact, our interest In BD is limited to limited to our security concern. There is a big possibility that they may Ignore even their interest to harm India. Pakistan is an example.

We too want economic progress of BD. If they don't try to mess with our security concern, we don't have any issues with BD. However, if BD does like what Younus did, we shall be compelled to meddle into the affairs of BD If you try to give base to China near Chiken neck, consequences will follow. Pakistan tried to do CPEC,. Where is CPEC today. That is our capability to meddle. So try only those things, whose consequences are bearable to BD.Your nation has many fault lines. The day India starts to treat you as enemy like Pakistan, it will not take India more than decade to implode BD and make some small nations out of BD out of those few will merge with India.

Try worrying more about India breaking up.

Seven sisters will be the first to declare independence.

In fact Manipur already has, they have a govt. in exile in the UK. And Khalistan too.

Keep hoping against hope...and against the inevitable.

 

[Saif]

Bangladeshi villagers with sticks are enough to foil BSF's attempt to push in Indian citizens into Bangladesh.

 

[Saif]

BSF pushes in 14 with Tk 200, water bottle and food packet

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has pushed 14 individuals into Bangladesh through the Baraibari border in Roumari upazila of Kurigram. They were pushed into Bangladesh through the ‘no man's land’ near border pillar number 1067 early morning Tuesday. There are nine men and five women...

en.prothomalo.com

BSF pushes in 14 with Tk 200, water bottle and food packet
Correspondent Kurigram
Published: 27 May 2025, 22: 52

The situation escalated in the area between the BGB and BSF centering the push-ins along the Baraibari border in Roumari upazila of Kurigram Prothom Alo

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has pushed 14 individuals into Bangladesh through the Baraibari border in Roumari upazila of Kurigram.

They were pushed into Bangladesh through the ‘no man's land’ near border pillar number 1067 early morning Tuesday. There are nine men and five women among them.

The people who were forced into Bangladesh said they were residents of Assam state in India. The BSF handed each of them Tk 200, a bottle of water, and a packet of food before forcefully pushing them into Bangladesh.

One of the victims is Khairul Islam. He said, “My family has land and houses in Mikirbhita of Assam. I am a primary school teacher. My parents are original residents of Assam. My mother and elder brothers are serving as ward members there.”

Khairul further said, “I was picked up on 23 May. Later, I was sent to the Matiya detention camp in Goalpara in India. I was pushed into Bangladesh before Fazr prayer. Before taking us to the border, the BSF members gave us Tk 200, a water bottle and a packet of food each. If anyone refused to come, they were beaten.”

Speaking to the locals it has been learnt that the situation escalated in the area between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Security Force (BSF) centering the push-ins. Later, the BSF fired four rounds of bullets as the locals and BGB members took stance along the border to prevent push in.

Later, the BGB took initiative to arrange a flag meeting. But the BSF denied it. Rather, they try to intimidate the locals with drones and heavy weapons aimed at the locals in the Bangladesh territory.

Although the BGB admitted to the escalation, they denied any incident of BSF members opening fire.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, 35 BGB battalion captain (CO) Hasanur Rahman said the scheduled flag meeting didn’t take place. The 14 detainees have been taken to the Boraibari camp. The administration will first verify their nationality and then take legal actions accordingly.

Former lawmaker from the Kurigram-4 constituency Ruhul Amin told Prothom Alo, “BSF forcefully pushed in 14 citizens into Bangladesh. The members of BSF fired rubber bullets as we, the locals, and BGB men tried to stop them. Apart from that, they used drones to intimidate us. We also noticed some heavy vehicles along the Indian border. I don’t know why the BGB is not admitting that. The people who were pushed in have been taken to the Boraibari BGB camp.​

 

[Saif]

India’s push-ins spark security, sovereignty concerns in Bangladesh

Political leaders and security experts have expressed concerns over the current surge in incidents of people being pushed into Bangladesh territory by the Indian border force without following formal procedures...

www.newagebd.net

India’s push-ins spark security, sovereignty concerns in Bangladesh
Dhaka urges Delhi to follow due process

Sadiqur Rahman 27 May, 2025, 23:51

Border Security Force female personnel patrol along the borderline fence at the India-Bangladesh border in Golakganj, Dhubri district in India’s Assam State on Monday. | AFP photo

Political leaders and security experts have expressed concerns over the current surge in incidents of people being pushed into Bangladesh territory by the Indian border force without following formal procedures.Political party merchandise

They have strongly condemned theaction, calling it a violation of international norms and a threat to Bangladesh’s sovereignty.

To them, the push-ins are a pressure tactic by India amid the political transition in Bangladesh following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina regime on August 5, 2024.

Retired Major General ANM Muniruzzaman, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies, said that push-ins carried out without adhering to international and legal protocols were unacceptable.

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‘India has been arbitrarily pushing people into Bangladesh without any bilateral agreement, and this cannot be tolerated,’ he told New Age on Tuesday.

Since May 7, more than 800 individuals, including Indian nationals and Rohingyas, have reportedly been pushed into Bangladesh by the Border Security Force of India.

Home affairs adviser retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Tuesday in Rajshahi that the interim government had protested against these incidents of push-ins from the Indian side as they were not following the due process.

‘But those who are Bangladeshi are our own people. We have told India to send people through proper channels – just as we return foreigners according to legal procedures. But they are not doing that,’ he said while talking to journalists at the Rajshahi Prison Training Center,

Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said that push-ins needed to follow official procedures, yet India has been informally sending people across the border by force.

‘This kind of behaviour is inappropriate when dealing with a sovereign nation,’ he said, adding that individuals are being sent without confirming their citizenship.

‘It feels like a pressure tactic to me, like provoking a fight by stepping on someone’s foot. I suspect India is waiting for a retaliatory response from our border security forces,’ Gayeshwar added.Wellness retreats

Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince urged the interim government to intensify diplomatic dialogue with India to resolve the issue immediately.

‘If these [pushed-in] individuals are truly Bangladeshi citizens living illegally in India, there should be diplomatic discussions regarding their repatriation, in line with international guidelines. But if they are not illegal migrants and are being forcibly sent to Bangladesh, such actions are indeed problematic,’ Prince said.

Sarwar Tushar, joint convener of the National City Party, said that the ouster of Sheikh Hasina government and the Awami League on August 5 also challenged India’s long-standing policy of treating Bangladesh as a de facto colony.

‘By pushing people into Bangladesh, India is creating a direct security threat. This is clearly a provocative act and a violation of international law,’ he said, demanding that India halt such activities and respect Bangladesh’s sovereignty.

Ashraf Ali Akon, presidium member of the Islami Andolan Bangladesh termed India an ‘unfriendly’ neighbour of Bangladesh. ‘The current push-ins are parts of a conspiracy against Bangladesh,’ he said.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal–JSD general secretary Shahid Uddin Mahmod Shapon said that India had taken a series of steps since August 5, which had strained its bilateral relationship with Bangladesh.

Citing that these actions are unfriendly and breaching diplomatic norms, he said, ‘Since August 5, Bangladesh has been trying to establish its sovereign authority while India appears to have perceived this as a challenge. But we believe our patriotic armed forces and citizens are capable of resisting India’s hostile actions.’

Touhidul Islam, an associate professor of peace and conflict studies at Dhaka University suggested that any issues involving bilateral relationships should be addressed pragmatically by neighbouring states, as they share borders.

‘Otherwise, such issues could lead to new security dynamics. I would suggest managing the push-in issue through diplomatic means,’ he said.

Security expert Muniruzzaman emphasised that if Indian authorities identified Bangladeshis staying illegally on their soil, they must verify their identities and formally notify Bangladesh. To him, only after completing proper legal procedures should repatriation occur. Otherwise, not.

‘What if some of those being pushed in pose threats to our national security and interests? We are seriously concerned about that,’ he warned.​

 

[Saif]

Unabated border killing

The death of Bangladeshis at the hands of India’s Border Security Force has become a grim reality, with barely any effective response that would stop the happening. The death hardly creates outrage outside a few rights groups. The Border Guard Bangladesh lodges protests. The issue comes up at...

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Unabated border killing
Mohrom Pathan 29 May, 2025, 00:00

The Indian Border Security Force hands over the body of a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl, Swarna Das, who was shot and killed in BSF firing, to the Border Guard Bangladesh on September 3, 2024. | UNB photo

The death of Bangladeshis at the hands of India’s Border Security Force has become a grim reality, with barely any effective response that would stop the happening. The death hardly creates outrage outside a few rights groups. The Border Guard Bangladesh lodges protests. The issue comes up at bilateral meetings or dialogues. Yet, there is little sustained pressure or political mobilisation. Even political parties, otherwise eager to hold protests on wide range of other issues largely remain silent.Political party merchandise

The Bangladesh–India border is the fifth longest land border in the world, bordering five Indian states. Both legal and illegal activities such as the smuggling of cattle, drugs and goods takes place along the border. Social issues also prompt some to cross the border unofficially. While smugglers operate with impunity, often shielded by law enforcement personnel on both sides, the victims of the violence of Indian guards are overwhelmingly from impoverished communities, not criminal masterminds. it is the poor who pay with their lives.

The Indian guards killed Swarna Das, a 13 year old girl, in the on September 1, 2024 in the Lalarchak border in Moulvibazar. Eight days later, the Indian guards killed another teenager, Jayant Kumar Singh, in the Baliadangi border in Thakurgaon. None of the victims were armed that could pose any threat. Witnesses frequently report Indian guards’ firing without warning and often from behind, which violates the international rights norms. A Human Rights Watch report in 2010 noted that Indian guards often shoot unarmed individuals after asking them to run.

Despite promises from India not to use lethal force in border management, the killing continues. India often plays down such incidents, labelling them ‘unintentional death.’ The frequency and pattern of such incidents, however, suggest otherwise. The most outstanding case remains that of Felani Khatun, whose lifeless body hung from a barbed-wire fence in 2011, sparking off international outrage. Despite this, India’s response was disappointing. The sole accused, BSF constable Amiya Ghosh, was acquitted twice by a special court despite admitting to the shooting. Although India’s National Human Rights Commission recommended compensation for Felani’s family, the Indian government has never complied.

At least 305 Bangladeshis were killed between 2015 and 2024 and 282 others were by BSF personnel, according to the Human Rights Support Society. In 2024, 26 were killed and 25 others were injured in 57 incidents. The violence has not abated even after political transition in Bangladesh in August 2024. In the first four months of 2025, rights group Ain O Salish Kendra reported 11 death — six in BSF firing and five from torture — and cases of abduction and injury.Political party merchandise

In 2017, when a Nepali citizen was killed by Indian guards, India’s national security adviser personally apologised and the victim was honoured with state recognition. In stark contrast, no such gesture has been shown in events involving Bangladeshis.

Responsibility also lies within. The failure of Bangladesh’s law enforcers and political leadership to address the smuggling networks that lead people into deadly encounters is glaring. The Bangladesh guards and police personnel are often aware of the networks, but they rarely act. Smuggling, especially of cattle and drug substances, is deeply entrenched. The deep-rooted corruption has allowed smuggling networks to thrive and ordinary citizens to be lured across the border only to be met with a deadly force. While Indian officials reportedly profit from cross-border cattle smuggling, they simultaneously kill unarmed Bangladeshis with impunity.

The murder of a Bangladesh guard by the Indian border force recently drew little more than a protest note. A stronger foreign policy is urgently needed that would demand justice for the victims and ensure that border killings are treated as violation of the international law, not unfortunate incidents.

A political consensus is also absent. The political economy of border killing is complex, but the moral imperative is simple. Bangladesh must not accept the the death its citizens in the border. Awareness campaigns and diplomatic efforts are urgently needed. India must be held accountable on international forums.

It is time to remind both governments, and the world, that no life is too small to matter.​