THIS is unacceptable that India鈥檚 Border Security Force continues creating tension with efforts to erect fences on the zero line in violation of international laws and bilateral agreements. The Indian border force is reported to be constructing barbed-wire or iron electric fences along the border in Lalmonirhat, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon. While the Indian guards stopped construction in the wake of protests by the Border Guard Bangladesh and flag meetings at some places, they have ignored calls for flag meetings at some other places. Tension along the border has, in fact, been increasing since the last days of December 2024 over the fence construction. Tension gripped villagers as the Indian guards on December 8 again began constructing fences along the Shibganj border amid the additional deployment on both sides of the border. The Indian force, however, stopped the construction after the Bangladesh guards had intervened. Bangladesh guards also halted the BSF attempts on the no-man鈥檚 land at Dhamoirhat in Naogaon. A tense situation, meanwhile, continues at Patgram, Lalmonirhat, as the Indian force, constructed a four feet high barbed-wire fence spanning a kilometre and a half on the zero line, ignoring a BGB call for a flag meeting.
While the illegal construction of fences on the zero line by Indian guards strains the relations between the two neighbours, Indian guards have continued to shoot Bangladeshis. In a recent such incident, a young man was injured as the Indian guards fired into a group of Bangladeshis on the Baghachipara border at Shibganj in Chapainawabganj on January 11. BSF high-handedness and consequent border killing have remained prickly issues. At least 30 Bangladeshis died in BSF firing in 2024 alone, as rights organisation Odhikar says. On many occasions, the Indian authorities promised to end border killing, but the Indian guards have continued to use lethal weapons and kill and torture Bangladeshis. What is also problematic is the claim of the Indian authorities that their border guards kill 鈥榗riminals鈥� and 鈥榮mugglers鈥�. Cross-border smuggling happens on the border and such smuggling involves people from both sides and there are agreements and international laws to be followed in dealing with smugglers. Indian authorities pledged to follow the laws and never use lethal weapons, but the Indian guards continue to pursue a shoot-to-kill policy, dishonouring the agreements and memoranda signed between Bangladesh and India. In many instances, Indian guards have tortured and killed Bangladeshis, mostly farmers, well inside the Bangladesh territory.
According to international laws, a number of agreements and memoranda on the boundary and fence construction, neither Bangladesh nor India can erect or construct anything within 150 yards of the zero line without consultation with the other party. Dhaka should, therefore, strongly protest at the illegal construction of fences by Indian guards while Bangladeshi border guards should remain alert.