Editorial
Minister on BSF killings
Message should ring clear to the Indian side
We thank the minister of home affairs for her statement in parliament recently that 151 Bangladeshi nationals have been killed at our borders with India during the three and a half years of present government's tenure. Revelation of such a high figure of killings by the Border Security Forces (BSF) of a friendly neighbouring country is as much shocking as it is jolting as a study in contrast between the assurances of the leaders and the realities on the ground.
Yet when our honourable minister stands in parliament and tells us that her counterpart has assured that all possible measures are being taken "to stop border killings and positive result is in sight," it should leave us somewhat assured. We are informed that eleven Bangladeshi nationals have died at the border at the hands of BSF since January, 2012. Although incidents of killing are tapering off we feel even one death is one too many.
It is ironic that in mid-June the BSF Director General U.K. Bansal claimed on the record that the force is exercising restraint when dealing with cross-border smuggling incidents. But not all the people dying on the border are members of criminal syndicates and this seemingly "trigger-happy" attitude is unfortunate. Even if one is suspected of smuggling there are ways to handle the situation short of killing him. The disconcerting thing is that field level personnel fail to realise that their rash actions can put a strain on the bilateral relations. Allegations of torture and other human rights violation against the paramilitary force have been raised time and again, not only by Bangladesh but international human rights organisations.
The mere uttering of regret by senior Indian policymakers is simply not enough. Despite several ministerial-level meetings and joint sittings of the chiefs of BSF and BGB, no substantial improvement has taken place on the ground to make the long porous border between the two countries safer. It is high time the Indian central government showed zero tolerance to border killings.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments