Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) made a strong call to India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to bring the border killing to zero for the sake of bilateral relations between two neighbours.
The BGB said that trans-border criminals should be nabbed and brought to trial under existing laws. But shooting someone dead just because they are violating the border is not humane at all. The issue is very sensitive for Bangladesh.
BGB said this in the annual Director General level meeting with BSF.
In reply, BSF said it always wants to refrain from shooting but they are sometimes left with no alternatives as organised criminal gangs become so aggressive. BSF stressed on integrated border management to stop this tendency and crime along the border.
The annual meeting is being held in BSF headquarters in CGO Complex in New Delhi’s Lodhi Road. The BGB delegation will return to Dhaka on Thursday after the conclusion of the meeting.
The BGB delegation is led by its DG Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui. The BSF delegation from India is led by the force's DG Daljit Singh Chowdhury. This is the 55th annual meeting of the two frontier forces. Last year, the meeting was held in Dhaka on 5-9 March. The next meeting is scheduled to be held in Dhaka.
According to the meeting sources, apart from border killings, the BGB has given special importance to the issue of construction of barbed wire fences on the border. After the political changeover in Bangladesh, unpleasant incidents are happening in some areas regarding erecting barbed wire fences on the border by India.
The BSF said in the meeting that whatever has been done or is being done on their part is according to the accepted understanding of the two countries. And nothing has been done outside the understanding. The BGB should respect the decision of the sovereign governments of the two countries.
In reply, BGB said that understanding stipulates that both forces will conduct a joint survey before erecting any fence. But unfortunately this condition is violated in some places and decisions are being taken unilaterally.
All issues including stopping smuggling across the border and controlling criminals were discussed in the meeting. According to sources, the meeting was amicable. The BSF organises a dinner in honour of the BGB delegation today.
However, the visit is shorter this year compared to other years. Before the change of power in Bangladesh, the visiting delegation would visit tourist places of the host country. No such tour is scheduled this year.