An innocent 14-year-old girl, Swarna Das, a student of class eight, was recently shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) while visiting Tripura. Thirteen and a half years ago, on January 7, 2011, a 15-year-old girl named Felani Khatun was shot dead by the BSF on the Anantapur border in Kurigram. At the time, Felani was returning from India to Bangladesh with her father. In 2024, Swarna was travelling from Bangladesh to India with her mother. What are the similarities between these two tragic events?
Felani's body was left hanging on the barbed wire fence for an extended period, an image that stirred both national and international outrage. Yet, no justice was served for Felani's killing. Similarly, Swarna's body was also left hanging on the barbed wire and was only returned two days later. Will there be justice for Swarna Das in 2024?
When Bangladesh is outraged over the killing of Swarna Das, another teenage boy was shot dead by the BSF along the Kantivita border in Thakurgaon's Baliadangi Upazila early Monday.
These killings are not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing pattern of violence that has been allowed to continue without redress. How is it possible that the forces of another nation can carry out such aggression? The fragility of Bangladesh's foreign policy is laid bare when these cross-border aggressions go unchallenged. Have we truly ensured the security of our borders, or have we allowed foreign forces to dictate the lives and deaths of our citizens?
It is time for Bangladesh to take a firm stand. The government must protest strongly and demand justice for every innocent life lost along the border. This is not just a matter of protecting our borders-it is a matter of protecting the dignity and lives of our people. Moreover, Bangladesh must prioritise strengthening its foreign policy to ensure that such violations do not continue unchecked. Without this, the border killings will continue, and more innocent lives will be lost.
Emran Emon
A researcher
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