Bangladesh Defense
Saif
Senior Member
- Jan 24, 2024
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India’s lethal border policy violates international norms
THE unabated killing of Bangladeshis at the hands of India’s Border Security Force in no way shows Delhi’s claimed neighbourly policy. Indian border guards killed three Bangladeshis in less than a week. A young man was killed along the Banchawki border in Lalmonirhat on May 14 when he reportedly...
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India’s lethal border policy violates international norms
THE unabated killing of Bangladeshis at the hands of India’s Border Security Force in no way shows Delhi’s claimed neighbourly policy. Indian border guards killed three Bangladeshis in less than a week. A young man was killed along the Banchawki border in Lalmonirhat on May 14 when he reportedly tried to cross the fence into the Indian territory. On May 9, Indian guards fired during an incident along the Dhajanagar-Pathariyadwar border. The Indian guards said that two Bangladeshis, who were injured in the firing, died in a hospital in India. In Lalmonirhat border, as New Age reported on May 13, local people resisted the Indian force from snatching their cattle. The incidents indicate India’s hostile and violent approach to border management whereas Bangladesh has exercised restraint in similar cases of trespassing. On May 15, when a young Indian couple illegally entered Bangladesh to visit relatives, the Border Guard Bangladesh in Moulvibazar detained them in line with international border management norms and, later, handed them over to the local police. Considering the continued border violence, the home affair minister’s remark that strict vigilance is maintained along the border appears inadequate.Daily News Subscription
Despite Delhi’s assurances, Indian guards have largely followed a lethal border management policy with Bangladesh. In April, it was reported that the BSF leadership directed its field units to explore the feasibility of using reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles in river stretches along Bangladesh to prevent unauthorised movement of people and goods. Calling the plan ‘innovative,’ the deputy inspector general of the Indian border force said that it was exploring the use of crocodiles and snakes as natural deterrents in flood-prone areas where fencing is not viable. Such a move indicates a hostile diplomatic approach, particularly as the directive originates from the highest levels of the Indian government. The wave of push-in operations without due process, verification or diplomatic coordination is yet another example of India’s unneighbourly attitude. In May–June 2025, India pushed more than 1,500 Muslim men, women and children, who included about 100 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, into Bangladesh. The Indian guards’ recent attempts to erect fences on several locations close to the zero line are another example of such unilateral exercises.Bangladeshi Culture Course
In the name of border control, the continued use of lethal weapon by the BSF demonstrates that the Indian government lacks interest in cultivating a neighbourly diplomatic relationship with Bangladesh. The government must, therefore, strongly protest the continued border violence. It should also seriously consider involving the international community, including the United Nations and regional multilateral platforms, to seek redress for the reprehensible activities. Conscientious sections of society in Bangladesh and India should also mobilise against India’s undemocratic, anti-people approach to border management and foreign policy.
THE unabated killing of Bangladeshis at the hands of India’s Border Security Force in no way shows Delhi’s claimed neighbourly policy. Indian border guards killed three Bangladeshis in less than a week. A young man was killed along the Banchawki border in Lalmonirhat on May 14 when he reportedly tried to cross the fence into the Indian territory. On May 9, Indian guards fired during an incident along the Dhajanagar-Pathariyadwar border. The Indian guards said that two Bangladeshis, who were injured in the firing, died in a hospital in India. In Lalmonirhat border, as New Age reported on May 13, local people resisted the Indian force from snatching their cattle. The incidents indicate India’s hostile and violent approach to border management whereas Bangladesh has exercised restraint in similar cases of trespassing. On May 15, when a young Indian couple illegally entered Bangladesh to visit relatives, the Border Guard Bangladesh in Moulvibazar detained them in line with international border management norms and, later, handed them over to the local police. Considering the continued border violence, the home affair minister’s remark that strict vigilance is maintained along the border appears inadequate.Daily News Subscription
Despite Delhi’s assurances, Indian guards have largely followed a lethal border management policy with Bangladesh. In April, it was reported that the BSF leadership directed its field units to explore the feasibility of using reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles in river stretches along Bangladesh to prevent unauthorised movement of people and goods. Calling the plan ‘innovative,’ the deputy inspector general of the Indian border force said that it was exploring the use of crocodiles and snakes as natural deterrents in flood-prone areas where fencing is not viable. Such a move indicates a hostile diplomatic approach, particularly as the directive originates from the highest levels of the Indian government. The wave of push-in operations without due process, verification or diplomatic coordination is yet another example of India’s unneighbourly attitude. In May–June 2025, India pushed more than 1,500 Muslim men, women and children, who included about 100 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, into Bangladesh. The Indian guards’ recent attempts to erect fences on several locations close to the zero line are another example of such unilateral exercises.Bangladeshi Culture Course
In the name of border control, the continued use of lethal weapon by the BSF demonstrates that the Indian government lacks interest in cultivating a neighbourly diplomatic relationship with Bangladesh. The government must, therefore, strongly protest the continued border violence. It should also seriously consider involving the international community, including the United Nations and regional multilateral platforms, to seek redress for the reprehensible activities. Conscientious sections of society in Bangladesh and India should also mobilise against India’s undemocratic, anti-people approach to border management and foreign policy.
