Indo-Bangla border killings embarrass us: Shahriar Alam

Border killings along the India-Bangladesh frontier embarrass Bangladesh, according to State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, as he said Dhaka will always be vocal about it.

"There is no doubt that this is an irritant in our relationship. It does embarrass us, the incidents [border killings] do not show due respect to our bilateral ties," he said on Wednesday in a seminar titled "Indo-Bangla Unique Friendship in Hasina-Modi Regimes: Role of Media".

According to the Border Guard Bangladesh, 161 Bangladeshis were killed by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) between January 2015 and June 2022, while 41 others were killed by Indian nationals.

Dhaka-based rights group Ain O Salish Kendra data showed that 23 people were killed along the India-Bangladesh border between January 2021 and June 2022. Most of the victims were shot to death by the BSF.

Referring to the killing of three Bangladeshis by the BSF last week, Shahriar Alam said, "We informed our Indian counterpart about it through the diplomatic channel."

"We believe it hurts bilateral agreements, mutual understanding and the neighbourly relations we have. I want to assure everyone that we will always be vocal about this," he added.

The state minister said the two neighbouring countries formulated border management guidelines in 1975. 

The home minister of Bangladesh recently visited Delhi and met with his Indian counterpart. In their joint statement, they agreed to reduce border killings to zero and ensure the use of non-lethal weapons.  

"We also wonder why don't our people get shot in the leg or hand if there is really any situation that actually demands the use of weapons," added Shahriar Alam.

He also stated that border killing dropped to almost zero at many places in recent years.

"But still there are such incidents in Lalmonirhat," said Shahriar. He added that he now plans to investigate further and discuss the issue with India. 

The state minister emphasised that Bangladesh will not hesitate to address any unpleasant facts that may harm the interests of its people, even during the "golden chapter" of Bangladesh-India relations. 

Other bilateral issues such as water sharing, trade and investment, and the role of media in strengthening ties between the two countries were discussed at the event organised by the Surjobarta Media and Communication at Biswasahitya Kendra. 

The event was chaired by Omer Selim Sher, a retired Professor of Economics at Algonquin College, Canada, and featured discussants including senior journalist Mozammel Hossain Monju and Ayanjit Sen, Professor at the Times School of Media at Bennett University in India.

Ayanjit Sen said, "All aspects of Bangladesh-India relations should not be viewed only from a geopolitical perspective. Rather, it should be approached from a humanistic viewpoint."

He termed developments like transshipment facilities to India and stability to India's north-eastern swathe as remarkable steps on the part of Bangladesh in the last decade.