Border killing hinders Bangladesh-India ties: Foreign adviser

Border killings are a major obstacle to fostering good relations between Bangladesh and India, foreign adviser Md. Touhid Hossain said Monday.

“Bangladesh-India ties need to be strengthened at the people-to-people level. When border killings occur, they create negative repercussions among the masses... we do not want this,” Hossain told newspersons at the foreign ministry.

The foreign adviser made the comments in response to questions about today’s border killing incident.

“We are awaiting confirmation from the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB). Once we receive it, we will lodge a strong protest with New Delhi,” he said, describing the killings as “unacceptable.”

Hossain noted that border killings also took place during the so-called “golden chapter” of Bangladesh-India relations under the previous Awami League government, adding that “the trend has continued even now.”

The adviser emphasised that when Bangladesh seeks good relations with India, these ties must be built on fairness. “We do not want one-sided relations,” he added.

Earlier, the foreign ministry lodged a formal protest with the Indian government following the killing of a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl, Shwarna Das, from Juri upazila of Moulvibazar district.

Das was reportedly shot and killed by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) on 1 September.