BSF's hollow promises, misleading claims
Photo: AFP
Just a day after BSF's DG UK Bansal assured Bangladesh of bringing down border casualties to zero, a Bangladeshi cattle trader, Abdul Hannan died after being tortured by BSF soldiers near the Shingnagor border in Chapainawabganj on Sept 30. At the DG-level conference between BGB and BSF which ended in Dhaka on Sept 29, UK Bansal also claimed that BSF personnel use minimum necessary force to save their lives. At all DG-level or minister-level meetings, Indian authorities have always been giving us assurances that killing of Bangladeshi nationals along the border will be brought down to zero. But facts prove it otherwise. According to rights watchdog 'Odhikar', 19 Bangladeshis were killed along the border between Jan 1 and July 31 this year. Last year, said the rights group, BSF killed 39 Bangladeshis at different points along the border. BSF's claim that its personnel use force only in self-defense is simply unacceptable. It has been seen that most of the unfortunate victims were unarmed cattle traders who in no way threatened the safety of the BSF men. Indian authorities must realise that friendly relations between our two countries can not be strengthened through such hollow promises and misleading claims.
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