INDIA鈥橲 Border Security Force reaffirming not to use lethal weapons in border management is welcome. The statement was made at the conference between the director generals of the border forces of India and Bangladesh in New Delhi. Both the forces also agreed to collaborate and cooperate in border management. They both emphasised undertaking appropriate socio-economic development programmes, effective implementation of confidence-building measures and sharing real-time information to ensure an effective border management without killing. The two border forces agreed to help victims of human trafficking and to facilitate their rescue and the fastest rehabilitation keeping to the law. While the Indian force鈥檚 agenda, as a statement says, included preventing 鈥榓ttacks, assaults, or abuse鈥� on its personnel and Indian civilians by 鈥楤angladesh-based criminals and miscreants,鈥� joint efforts to curb trans-border crimes, among others, the Bangladesh force鈥檚 agenda included preventing border killings, border crimes, infrastructure developments within 150 yards of the zero line, illegal crossing and intrusion into the Bangladesh territory by the Indian guards, Indian police, smugglers and other miscreants, among others.
While reassurances of both the border forces sound heartening and, if implemented, can ease border tension, what is worrying is that dozens of conferences and talks between leaders of the two countries and director generals of border forces and bilateral pledges appear to have yielded no result in ending the killing of Bangladeshis by the Indian guards along the border. The Indian guards and the political leaders have on many occasions promised to end border killing, but the Indian force has continued to use lethal weapons and kill and torture Bangladeshis. In 2024 alone, at least 25 Bangladeshis were shot dead by the Indians while more than 1,300 Bangladeshis were killed by Indian guards in 2000鈥�2023. What is also gravely problematic is the claim made by Indian authorities that their border guards kill 鈥榗riminals鈥� and 鈥榮mugglers鈥�. Cross-border smuggling happens on the Bangladesh-India border and such smuggling involves people from both sides of the border. There are agreements and international laws to be followed in dealing with smugglers and no laws allow any forces to pursue a shoot-to-kill policy. In many instances, Indian guards are also reported to have tortured and killed Bangladeshis, mostly farmers working on fields, well inside the Bangladesh territory.
The disregard for international border control protocol by the Indian guards in violation of laws and agreements are major obstacles to fostering good relations between Bangladesh and India. While both countries, especially the border forces, work together to ease border tension, the Indian authorities need to deliver on their pledges and honour the bilateral agreements and laws in border management.
