This is unacceptable that the Indian Border Security Force does not oblige by any international laws or bilateral agreements in border management and continues with a trigger-happy attitude. Dozens of conferences, talks between leaders of the two countries and directors general of border forces of India and Bangladesh and bilateral pledges appear to have yielded no result in ending the killing of Bangladeshis by India’s Border Security Force along the border. The Indian guards and the political leaders have on many occasions promised to end border killing, but the Border Security Force has continued to use lethal weapons and kill and torture Bangladeshis. In the latest incidents, the Indian guards shot dead a 15-year-old boy, Jayanta Kumar Sinha, near the Kantivita border in Thakurgaon district on September 9. Two others, including the father of the deceased, also received bullets in the incident. Earlier on September 1, the Indian guards shot a 13-year-old girl, Swarna Das, near the Lalarchak bordering area in Moulvibazar. With the two, a total of five Bangladeshis were killed by the BSF in different bordering areas since the present interim government assumed power on August 8.

In 2023, 30 Bangladeshis were killed by the Indian guards while at least 1,236 Bangladeshis were killed in Indian guard fire between 2000 and 2020, as rights organisation Odhikar says. When rampant border killings show the blatant disregard of Indian authorities for human rights and international laws, the recent killing of two teenagers belonging to the Hindu community shows the hollowness of the sympathy that Indian authorities often show to the Hindus in Bangladesh. The Indian authorities and Indian media do not let go of any chance of raising concern over rights violations of religious minorities in Bangladesh, but when it comes to killing Bangladeshis on the India-Bangladesh border, Indian guards do not take into account the religious identities. Those in Bangladesh who believe in India’s such rhetoric should also understand and unite against India’s aggressive border management. Indian authorities routinely claim that their border guards kill ‘criminals’ and ‘smugglers’ on the border, but deny to recognise that cross-border smuggling involves people from both sides of the border and that such people should be dealt with in accordance with the laws. The Indian guards continue to pursue a shoot-to-kill policy, dishonouring the many agreements and memoranda between Bangladesh and India. In many instances, Indian guards are also reported to have tortured and killed Bangladeshis, mostly farmers working on fields, well inside the Bangladesh territory.

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