Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has expressed its firm commitment to take extra-precautionary measures to bring down the border killings to zero.
BSF director general Rakesh Asthana gave the assurance while addressing a press conference at the headquarters of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in Dhaka, after a four-day border talks that concluded on Saturday.
He led a six-member BSF delegation to the 50th Border Conference between the two countries while BGB director general Major General Md Shafeenul Islam led the 13-member BGB delegation.
The BSF, according to a statement made by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in parliament in July last year, the BSF men killed 294 Bangladesh between 2009 and 2018. In 2019, more 43 were killed by the BSF, claimed the rights group Ain-o- Salish Kendra.
During the talks, BGB made it clear that there is no camp of any Indian insurgent group in Bangladesh. It also told the BSF that Bangladesh would not allow India to construct the newly designed single-row fence on the border.
The BSF appreciated the cooperation of BGB and other security forces of Bangladesh in combating the Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) and sought further cooperation for destruction of the reported hideouts of the IIGs in Bangladesh.
In response, the DG of BGB assured that there is no camp of the IIGs or their hideouts inside Bangladesh.
He further mentioned that Bangladesh does not allow her soil to be used by any entity or element hostile to any country, particularly India, and assured all possible help in this regard, according to a record from the meeting.
The issue of constructing newly designed single-row fence by India within 150 yards of the international border (IB) was raised at the meeting. The BGB DG pointed out that the government of Bangladesh had already urged India not to construct it.
Terming the killing of unarmed people on the border 'very unfortunate', the BSF DG said killing of the civilian on the border is by no means is justifiable and the BSF personnel has been strictly instructed not to use lethal arms against civilians on the border.
He mentioned that the BSF personnel were instructed not to use lethal weapons unless it emerged as the last resort. And, in that case, they must aim below the belt to avoid fatality, he explained.
He lamented that sometimes it became difficult to follow such instructions when incidents took place at the dead of night. Zero visibility and bad weather often pose a problem in this regard.
However, Mr. Rakesh assured that every incident of fire targeted at the civilians is properly investigated by the BSF authorities to ensure whether the firing was the last resort or not.
Responding to a question, he said that drug trafficking emerged as a major problem and they had discussed the ways and means to address the issue during the talks.
The DG of BGB said that the BGB was satisfied with the commitment expressed by the BSF about bringing down the border killing to zero.
Asked whether illegal infiltration of smugglers to India from Bangladesh as alleged by the Indian authorities was due to failure of the BGB, he said sometimes it gets tough to stop it totally due to the difficult terrain and porous border.
But things are improving and both sides have started taking steps to strengthen the monitoring system through joint patrolling, he added.
Disclosing the Joint Record of Discussions (JRD), the BGB officials said both sides agreed to take extra-precautionary measures along the border to bring down the border killing to zero and incidences of causing injuries and beating unarmed nationals of both countries.
They have planned to achieve this goal by increasing coordinated patrols, enhancing public awareness programme, undertaking appropriate socio-economic development programmes in the vulnerable areas.
According to the meeting record, both sides agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the number of incidents of assault/attacks to zero by increasing coordinated patrols in vulnerable areas and educate border population about the sanctity of IB and preventing criminals from crossing the IB.
Highlighting the importance of Coordinated Border Management Plan(CBMP) in curbing the menace of trans-border crimes, the smuggling of various types of drugs and narcotics, specially yaba, fire arms, contraband items, smuggling of cattle/FICN/gold, both sides agreed to pursue and share real time information which is expected to be beneficial for both sides.
On preventing human trafficking, both sides agreed to take effective steps for prevention of human trafficking and illegal crossing of the IB.
Both the DGs also agreed to aid victims of human trafficking and facilitate their rescue and rehabilitation as soon as possible as per the law of the land.
Both sides mutually agreed not to undertake any development work within 150 yards of the IB without prior information.
The both sides appreciated the efforts made to improve mutual relations through various agreed upon Confidence Building Measures (CBMs).
It was also decided that the next DG level conference will be held at Guwahati, India preferably within the 2nd week of November, 2020.
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