Deaths along the Bangladesh–India border

Bangladesh surrounded by India almost every corner of the boundary
In some border, strong fences are installed by India

Deaths along the Bangladesh–India border occur hundreds of times a year because of those attempting to cross into India from Bangladesh illegally mainly for trade purpose.[1] Bangladesh and India share a 4,096 kilometer (2,545 mile) border.[2]

To prevent smuggling and illegal migration from Bangladesh, Indian border force Border Security Force can exercise controversial "Shoot-on-sight" policy. By this policy, BSF can shoot any people on site with or without cause.[3] A large portion of the death are cattle traders and farmers with land near the border.[4]

Brad Adams, Executive Director of the Asia Department of Human Right Watch, said about border killings,

"Routinely shooting poor, unarmed villagers is not how the world's largest democracy should behave."[3]

Cattle Smuggling

In Bangladesh, Indian cattle can become legal through a small tax to the government while India bans all export of cattle. This has become a flash-point issue in the border. The cattle trade according to an estimate in the Christian Science Monitor is close to one billion dollar.[5] A Bangladeshi cattle trader was killed on March 2014 in the border near Satkhira Sadar upazila by BSF.[6] On January 2016, a Bangladeshi cattle trader was allegedly tortured to death by members BSF Bhurungamari upazila, Kurigram District.[7] The same month another Bangladesh national was killed by BSF in Sapahar upazila, Naogaon District.[8] On April 2016 a Bangladeshi cattle trader was shot in Kurigram district.[9] On June 2016, two Bangladeshi were killed by BSF in Gomostapur upazila, Chapainawabganj.[10] On August 2016 a Bangladeshi was shot dead in border region in Moheshpur upazila of Jhenidah.[11] On January 2017, a cattle trader/smuggler was allegedly tortured to death by BSF in Damurhuda upazila in Chuadanga district.[12]

Farmlands near the border

A teenager was killed and three others were injured in BSF shooting in Chuadanga when they went to pick mango from a tree near the border on May 2016. The BSF suspended 7 of its personnel over the incident.[13]

Illegal migration

On 7 January 2011, a 15-year-old girl, Felani, was shot dead while illegally entering Bangladesh from India by BSF in Phulbari upazila, Kurigram.[14] She had gotten stuck on the barbwire when she was shot and she remained there for 5 hours until she bled to death.[4] This resulted in protests in Bangladesh.[15] In 2015 National Human Rights Commission of India asked the Indian government to pay 500,000 compensation to her family.[16][17]

Security forces conflict

The dead body of Assistant Commandant Jiwan Kumar of BSF was founded inside Bangladesh territory on 16 April 2005. According to India he was killed inside India and dragged to Bangladesh, while according to Bangladesh he was killed after intruding into Bangladeshi territory.[18][19]

Impact

The death of Bangladesh nationals in the Bangladesh–India border harms the Bangladesh–India relations.[19][20] From 2010 to 2016, on average, 40 Bangladeshi nationals were killed in the border.[21] The Daily Star described the issue as one that is "highly emotive" in Bangladesh.[21] On the border death Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said it was a matter of "grave concern" to her.[22] The border deaths has also been criticised by Human Rights organisations.[23]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "India: New Killings, Torture at Bangladeshi Border". Human Rights Watch. New York: Human Rights Watch. 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  2. ↑ "Border Management: Dilemma of Guarding the India-Bangladesh Border". IDSA. January 2004.
  3. 1 2 Adams, Brad (2011-01-23). "India's shoot-to-kill policy on the Bangladesh border". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  4. 1 2 "Felani, the BSF and the elusive zero target". The Daily Star. 2017-01-12. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  5. ↑ "LOSS on both sides". The Daily Star. 2015-08-26. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  6. ↑ "Bangladeshi 'tortured to death' by BSF in Satkhira". The Daily Star. 2014-08-31. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  7. ↑ "BSF tortures Bangladeshi to death". The Daily Star. 2016-01-19. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  8. ↑ "BSF kills 1 at Naogaon border". The Daily Star. 2016-01-24. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  9. ↑ "Bangladeshi shot dead by BSF in Kurigram". The Daily Star. 2016-04-18. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  10. ↑ "2 Bangladeshis shot dead by BSF along C'nawabganj border". The Daily Star. 2016-06-20. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  11. ↑ "Bangladeshi shot dead by BSF in Jhenidah". The Daily Star. 2016-08-05. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  12. ↑ "Bangladeshi killed by BSF along Chuadanga border". The Daily Star. 2017-01-07. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  13. ↑ "7 BSF men suspended for killing teen". The Daily Star. 2016-05-15. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  14. ↑ "Felani killing: Justice denied, border killings continue". The Daily Star. 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  15. ↑ ""NO ONE KILLED FELANI"". The Daily Star. 2015-07-05. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  16. ↑ "Indian govt asked to pay Rs 5 lakh to Felani's family". The Daily Star. 2015-08-31. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  17. ↑ "One death, many questions". The Daily Star. 2011-05-01. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  18. ↑ Ali, Syed Sajjad. "BSF pays tribute to martyr after nine years". The Hindu. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  19. 1 2 Khan, Shahedul Anam. "Clashes on our borders". archive.thedailystar.net. The Daily Star. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  20. ↑ "BD–India border issues". The Daily Star. 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  21. 1 2 "Killing, harbouring, kayaking and dog training". The Daily Star. 2017-02-28. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  22. ↑ "Deaths along border matter of grave concern: PM". The Daily Star. 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  23. ↑ "Securing rights at the border area". The Daily Star. 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.