BSF Gunned Down 11 Bangladeshis in a Month: BGB

Indian border guards shot 11 Bangladeshis dead in six weeks, reports Bangladesh's Border Guard (BGB).

The BGB made a media call on Wednesday (Feb 5) two days after Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen claimed that border killings had increased and made it clear that it was unacceptable to Dhaka.

“As many as 11 Bangladeshi nationals have been killed at the border between Dec 25 and Feb 5,” BGB's Director (Planning) Lt Col Syed Ashiqur Rahman told the media at its headquarters in Dhaka.

According to him, border killings sometimes happen five to fifteen kilometers inside the Indian territories.

“The killings can take place when anyone enters into Indian soil. We come to know about it when the bodies are handed over,” he said before claiming that maximum victims were cattle traders, so far.

The BGB protests against the border killings regularly, he claimed before adding, “Protest notes are given to the designated battalion after every such incident.”

According to Rahman, BGB and BSF are exchanging information regarding border killings.

The topic was also addressed during the recent meeting of the Chiefs of the Indian and Bangladeshi Border Forces, though diplomatic action was also taken, he added.

As per the directives from home and foreign ministry, BGB were holding awareness campaigns against border crossing and continuing intelligence operations near the border, said Rahman.

Manpower was increased at the sensitive points of the border, he added.

“We are monitoring the movements of listed smugglers. They are getting caught in the act and we report the arrests to media,” he said.

On the outbreak of coronavirus worldwide, including India, Rahman promised that the force will cooperate immediately with any organization to ensure preventive measures at the borders.