With 'dead on their shoulders' Hanif Bangladeshi, four others traverse thru Bangladesh protesting border killings
This procession is set to traverse through 72 upazila and 32 districts, especially those along the borders Bangladesh shares with India and Myanmar and it is slated to conclude in Benapole of Jashore
On Friday morning, five men stood in line at the Aliabad Zero Point area of Teknaf with symbolic dead bodies wrapped in shrouds on their shoulders and placards on their hands that read "Stop Border Killing". For the weeks to come, they will walk the streets of Bangladesh protesting against aggression on the border by neighbouring countries.
Led by Md Hanif, better known as Hanif Bangladeshi for his protests against border killings, the group began their march today (16 February) at 10:00am.
"Bangladesh constantly faces aggression from its neighbours, India and Myanmar. Indian Border Security Force regularly shoots innocent people at the border as if they are hunting some birds," Hanif said before starting their journey.
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He is joined by four others: Md Nurul Azim, Md Sourav, Abu Nasim, and Md Arif.
This procession is set to traverse through 72 upazila and 32 districts, especially those along the borders Bangladesh shares with India and Myanmar and it is slated to conclude in Benapole of Jashore.
Highlighting the recent border killing of a BGB member, Hanif claimed that 21 Bangladeshis were shot to death by the BSF at the Indian border in the last four months.
"According to human rights records, since 2010, the BSF has killed more than 1,276 Bangladeshis and injured 1,183.
"Myanmar's oppression has forced about 1.2 million Rohingyas into Bangladesh," Hanif said.
He also said a mortar shell killed two Bangladeshis on 5 February amid ongoing internal conflict in Myanmar.
Holding those in power accountable for compromising national dignity, he said, "All our government since independence always wants to maintain good relations with neighbouring and friendly countries, but these neighbours act hostilely towards Bangladesh."
"This weakness and subservience have continually allowed India and Myanmar to aggress upon Bangladesh," he added.
He also criticised the neighbouring countries' justification of border killings by labelling victims as cattle thieves or smugglers.
Hanif pointed out that if India and Myanmar controlled their smugglers, smuggling activities in Bangladesh would naturally cease.
"We seek the full support from the people of Bangladesh for this campaign. We are calling on the conscious people of the country to participate in this program.
Furthermore, he extended an invitation to all political parties and organisations to join and show solidarity with the campaign when it progresses through respective areas.
Who is Hanif Bangladeshi
Hanif has gained recognition for his symbolic protests against aggression by neighbouring countries in the border area.
In 2020, he made headlines by carrying a symbolic corpse demanding an end to the border killings from Dhaka to Kurigram's Anantapur border where Felani was shot to death in 2011.
Bangladeshi girl Felani, who used to work as a domestic help in New Delhi, was shot to death by the BSF members along with Anantapur border point in Kurigram district on January 7 2011, while returning home crossing the barbed-wire fence along with her father.
However, Felani's murder case is still pending in the Supreme Court of India.
In 2019, Hanif traversed through all 64 districts in protest against corruption, bribery, and moral degradation, by presenting memorandums to deputy commissioners of all districts in the country and distributing leaflets among the general public.
