Indian BSF's Brutality at Bangladeshi Border

Indian BSF's Brutality at Bangladeshi Border

If you have a question is now, what is the world's most terrible border, the answer goes to India - Bangladesh border.

Felani, a 15 years old Bangladeshi girl who was crossing the Bangladesh-India border in Kurigram was killed by India's Border Security Forces. The girl screamed for water for long time while hanging upside down , trapped on the border fence after being shot. The girl bled to death while hanging and she still had to hang exactly in the same manner for 5 more hours.

But lots of grave abuses are being occurred everyday by India's Border Security Force (BSF) against Bangladeshi citizens at the border area, even in the Bangladesh territory. The abuses include indiscriminate killing and torture of the innocent Bangladeshi citizens.

Bangladesh is almost entirely encircled by India via a land border of 2,979 kilometers and a riverine boundary of 1,116 kilometers. These two neighbors share 57 trans-boundary rivers. In this regard, border securities, land occupancy, water sharing and trade promotion are the broader issues for Bangladesh and India. The paradox, however, is that despite a fairly harmonious relationship that dates to the birth of Bangladesh some 40 years ago, questions have been raised at home and abroad on the costs of disputes between two countries.

Bangladesh and India share an international border of about 5000 kilometers. Five Indian states adjoin 28 Bangladesh districts on the border. India has already fenced in about 70 per cent of the border, secured by  Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Security Force (BSF) of India, with barbed wire.

The border conflict between the two neighboring countries, along a 4096 km-long stretch, can be traced back to the eighties. One-eighties km of Bangladesh-India border falls along with the river lines, while the demarcation of the Indo-Bangla border is still incomplete at a 6.5 Km stretch near Comilla, on the Tripura border.

Bangladesh and India share an international border of about 5000 kilometers. Five Indian states adjoin 28 Bangladesh districts on the border.

Bangladesh and India share an international border of about 5000 kilometers. Five Indian states adjoin 28 Bangladesh districts on the border.

India began fencing its borders from 1980, despite numerous objections from Bangladesh, and finally completed this around 1990. The border killings spiked soon after this.

Due to border skirmishes, many residents of the border side areas of Fulbaria, Roumari in Kurigram, Tetulia in Panchagarh and other areas, can't go about their daily firming like agricultural work, cattle-grazing, harvesting and others.

Smuggling is also a major factor in the prevalent conflicts at the border. Around Rs. 3.5 billion worth of goods are smuggled from India to Bangladesh every year. However, BSF starts shooting when these smugglers try to return to India through the border again.

The Indira-Mujib Agreement of 1974 and the Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines of 1975 were two agreements signed by the authorities of India and Bangladesh to dissolve these issues and conflicts at the border.

According to the Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines of 1975 agreement, if any citizens trespassing the land of the other country, border forces can arrest and try them, or turn them over to the other side following necessary communications. The border guidelines also describe that any existing defense structure within 150 yards of the borders would be demolished.

Two countries have so far agreed on many bilateral agreements, including the 25-years Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Peace of 1972, the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade of 1972, the Land Demarcation Agreement of 1974, the Bilateral Trade Agreement of 1980, the 30 years Water-sharing Agreement for the Ganges of 1996, the Lease Agreement of Teen Bigha Corridor (a corridor for movement of enclave's people) of 1992 and the Protocol on Border Demarcation and Swap of Enclaves 2011. However, the question is why the negotiations and agreements done so far were not effective to end with a positive sum game between two countries.

Bangladesh has already recovered the Padua Border Operation Post (BOP) territory from India on April 16 and 17, 2001, after 30 years of illegal occupation by India. However 230 acres of land near the Sylhet-Tamabil border is still with India.

To avenge the loss of Padua, around 400 BSF , including Black Cat members from Indian military, illegally occupied Bangladesh's Boraibari BOP in Roumari of Kurigram on April 18, 2001. The operation claimed number BDR(Now BGB) lives and left many  soldiers and civilians wounded.

BSF, criminals kill 1000 Bangladeshis in 10 yrs

Protesting BSF's Border Brutality

More than 1000 Bangladeshis were killed by the Indian Boarder Security Force (BSF) and 116 by unruly Indian citizens during the period between 2001 and 2011.

At the same time, 443 Bangladeshis were injured by BSF men and 139 by unruly Indian citizens, said a home ministry source. An official document obtained by The Independent reveals that 737 Bangladeshis were killed and 582 critically injured in the 10-year span.

During the three-year rule of the present Awami League government (2009 - 2012), 145 Bangladeshis were killed by BSF and 23 by Indian people, while at least 153 Bangladeshis were injured by BSF and 51 by Indian miscreants.

Key Factors

Ø Bangladesh and India share a border of 2,429 miles.

Ø More than thousand Bangladeshi citizens have been tortured by India’s BSF since 2001. The statistics are- Tortured- 1007, Abducted- 974, Missing from border area- 107, Raped- 14, Snatched or looted- 71, Pushed in Bangladesh illegally- 313.

The grand total Human rights violation in Bangladesh-India Border Area (2001-2011) - 3509

Ø During the three-year rule of the present government (2009 - 2012), Statistics shows India’s BSF kill one Bangladeshi citizen in every four days. They have turned the border area into a killing field. 203 people lost their lives in BSF firing near the border between 2009 and 2011.

Ø Around 13 Bangladeshi nationals killed by BSF at the border in 2009, First year of present Awami League Government

Ø BGB didn't kill any Indian nationals in 2009

Ø BSF has killed around 1000 till 2011 Bangladeshi nationals since 2000

Ø Most shooting takes place at night

Ø Border killings escalated following the construction of fence during the 90s

Ø Five Indian states adjoin 28 Bangladesh districts on the border

Ø Ordinary Bangladeshis fail to distinguish between the demarcation line and the fence

Ø Around Rs. 3.5 billion worth of goods smuggled from India to Bangladesh every year.

Ø Recently India’s BSF have introduced a new method of killing Bangladeshi citizens at the border like Throwing stones, Drowning under river water, Beating, Chopping or Injecting toxic poisons instead of using Firearms.

Ø The border has long been crossed routinely by local people for trade and commerce, by relatives and friends separated by a line arbitrarily drawn by the British during partition in 1947. But it has been now common and regular picture that the India’s BSF personnel surround the Bangladeshi citizens who go near to the border fence and without giving any reason they start beating with rifle butts, kicking and slapping them.

Some brutality of the Indian Border Security Forces out of thousands

15 Years old Innocent Bangladeshi Girl Felani Killed by Aggressive Indian Border Security Force (BSF)

Felani, a 15 years old Bangladeshi girl who was crossing the Bangladesh-India border in Kurigram was killed by India's Border Security Forces.

Felani, a 15 years old Bangladeshi girl who was crossing the Bangladesh-India border in Kurigram was killed by India's Border Security Forces. The girl screamed for water for long time while hanging upside down , trapped on the border fence after being shot. The girl bled to death while hanging and she still had to hang exactly in the same manner for 5 more hours. (January 7, 2011)

Her father fixed her marry in Bangladesh. So, she is returning to Bangladesh with her father from Nayadilli, India - work place of her father. On Friday, 7th January, 2011 at 6am she and her father was climbing the barbed wire boundary between Bangladesh and Indian border (exact location: International Border No. 947, between 3 and 4 s pillar of Anantapur, Fulbari) using a ladder. Her father, Nurul Islam crossed first. But at the time of Felani's clothes got entangled in the wire. She was frightened and started screaming. Hearing her scream, the BSF members started shooting at her, at 6.15 am. She was asking for water till her death, about 30 minutes after shooting but nobody there because of the afraid of BSF’s bullets.

The dead body of Felani was tangled in barbed wire around 4 hours. Then the coward Indian Security Force (BSF)'s jowans took away the body at 10:45 am. After 30 hours BSF handover the dead body to BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh).

The image of Felani’s death, her tangled body hanging on the fence India has made around Bangladesh melts even the hardest of the hearts. Felani and her father Mr Nurul Islam worked as maidservant and day laborer respectively in the other side of the border. They were coming back to Bangladesh from India by crossing the border barbed wires, as the next day was her wedding. Mr Nurul Islam successfully crossed the fence. However, full of romance in the heart and wearing gorgeous dress, Felani was perhaps a little absent-minded, as her mind was more occupied with the most important event in her life that was supposed to happen the next day. She could not cross the fence and got tangled on the barbed wires.

Sensing the impending dangers of being killed by the ruthless BSF, she because fearful for her life and started screaming. Her father could not dare go near her, as such a move would lead to his definite death by the BSF. The thirsty Felani kept screaming for her life and was saying water, water…. The Indian BSF heard her cries and shot her dead without wasting time. She was hanging on the fence for about five hours until her killers took her away. When she was handed to the Bangladeshi border guards, the jewelries she was wearing were not there.

The shock and despair of the Bangladeshi people forced the pro-Indian Bangladeshi regime to make some noise over the death of Felani, as a result of which India in its own ritualistic way made some false promises of not repeating such brutalities. The Bangladeshi government has carried on its business as usual, while, since Fenali’s death, Indian BSF has murdered dozens of more poor Bangladeshis in the border region.

Justice was never served for Felani. No one got arrested or punished for the inhumane treatment the Indian Border Security Force did to her. It was talked about, published in stories, broadcasted on television, but was never given apt time to be settled. In an article published in the prestigious Prothom Alo on 29th May 2011, the Home Minister Shahara Khatun said in a statement that Felani was not a citizen of Bangladesh but he was coming to visit Felani’s family in Kurigram to give financial support. Inconsistency, that is. If Felani was not a citizen of the country, why then would the government care to give help of any kind?

The family of Felani got a significant amount of money after her death. This was crucial in shutting them up considering the poor state of their family. Felani’s mother reacts, “I will give back the 3 lak they gave me, in return, they should give back my Felani.”

Following the news on Felani’s death, some people started to put up posters campaigning for justice but -they say- the people who wanted to protest got threats of arrest. The forced silence was a sign of great respect for the friendship of India and Bangladesh. Out of love for her neighbor country, the Bangladeshi government was and is willing to sacrifice its own people.

What happened to Felani is reminiscent of what can happen to anyone in Bangladesh. The tragedy doesn’t just lie in Felani’s death. The more horrible fact is the continuing killings in the India-Bangladesh border without remorse. At this modern age and time, we see injustice at its finest lingering on every corner of beloved Bangladesh. The fear of what BSF can do to other people remains, but the greater fear is for the land we call home. Even with all these atrocities, no one has taken relevant action to uphold justice.

Felani did not come from a rich, privileged family. Nor did she belong to any of the political dynasties of Bangladesh. She was poor and did not have the luxury of receiving any formal education. Her killers belong to a very powerful country which sways the politics of her country. Perhaps, these are some of the reasons why she is not remembered adequately even in her own country. Or, perhaps, through her death, Felani has pointed to the blatant hypocrisies of a big section of the Bangladeshi intelligentsia who are reluctant to write or say anything that may go against the wishes of India.

Many newspapers in Bangladesh are run by left-leaning editors who are supposed to have concern for the  and the downtrodden. However, their loyalty to India overwhelms their leftist political philosophy. Many in the Bangladeshi media exercise their freedom to condemn the misrule of the pro-Indian Awami League. But when it comes to India’s hegemonic attitude and its exploitation driven foreign policy to Bangladesh, we see a mysterious silence. Surprisingly, the Bangladeshi intellectuals who make regular statements to establish patriotic credentials show complete cowardice when it comes to exposing India’s political and economic exploitation of their country. While the Indian BSF personnel are killing many of their fellow countrymen, these intellectuals may be demonstrating extreme desperation to be on the good books of Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

According to International human rights group Human Rights Watch, in the year 2010 BSF killed 74 Bangladeshis, injured 72 and kidnapped 43 Bangladeshis.

>>Not having just a mobile phone, torchlight and a thousand rupees as bribe demanded by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) almost cost the life of a Bangladeshi named Habibur Rahman (22). The Indian satellite channel NDTV recently telecast a video where several BSF jawans (personnel) were seen severely beating up a Bangladeshi youth after stripping him naked for failing of pay them a bribe of Indian rupee 1000 (US$23). When everyone is singing the song of humanity, how are we turning a blind eye to these killings? The Bangladesh government is obliged to protect the lives of its citizens, even those who may be involved in illegal trade. It should demand of the Indian government to stop these killings. Unfortunately, comments of Bangladesh ministers and leaders of the ruling party are sometimes confusing. Stripping him completely, the BSF tied his hands at the back to a stick (in the picture, upper right). They also tied his legs and beat him up before dumping his unconscious body in a mustard field near Raninagar camp in Murshidabad district. (Dec 9, 2011) .YouTube video showing the inhuman and barbaric torture on a young Bangladeshi civilian by the BSF on India-Bangladesh border on Dec 9, 2011 This reminded the still photos of the torture on the detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq by some members of the American forces. What happened there was most inhuman that is beyond any condemnation. But that happened within the four walls of a prison.

What the BSF video showed harks back to Nazi-style torture under the open sky on the India-Bangladesh border in broad daylight. Those who took part in the beastly act looked like demons. Regular killing, repression and torture of the civilians by the Indian force in Kashmir and elsewhere in India are well documented and, so are the incidents on the Bangladesh border. Shouldn't the Indian government think seriously of psychological counseling of their security forces? The video clearly showed that the BSF personnel were taking immense pleasure in torturing and videotaping the stripped Bangladeshi national. That's undoubtedly the sign of sick minds!

Any Indian worth the salt with little self-respect and human honor and dignity will feel ashamed as an Indian for so badly damaging the image of their country by such acts of their security forces, and, that too, in this instance, with the citizens of a friendly neighbor.

India’s BSF killed a Bangladeshi citizen by throwing stones at the border in Lalmonirhat district in Bangladesh. After killing him, they kept the dead body in the river tying with a bamboo stick. Consider the way! Is it a human or an animal being hauled away? Killing a person with throwing stones just because of crossing the border!!! (July 24, 2011)

>>A 13-year-old boy named Abdur Rakib, who broke no law and was killed simply because he was near the border fence. He was shot as he was grazing his buffaloes near the border when a BSF soldier opened fire. Another boy, Mohammad Omar Faruq, age 15, was deadly injured. (March 13, 2009)

. Monirul Islam, a 23-year-old Bangladeshi citizen was killed by India's BSF at the Chulkani Bil, which is 200 yards inside Bangladesh territory. The BSF started shooting at him from the no man’s land. Can anyone imagine being killed in his own territory by the force of the other country without any war? (January 8, 2010)

Many promises and assurance were made by the Indian officials, but not single one was kept. The Indian Government always kept quite. Not a single word about the death could be heard from the mouth of the honorable Indian Prime Minister. No one has been prosecuted for any of these killings, in spite of evidence in many cases that makes it clear the killings were in cold blood against unarmed and defenseless local residents.

Therefore, we the Bangladeshi citizens can no longer trust India and are making our petition to the highest authority of the world, The United Nations, to enforce international laws and conventions in this human rights matter.

BSF vandalises houses in Bangladesh village, lifts four cows in Lalmonirhat

Panic gripped the bordering villages since Monday night when a group of about 25 Indian BSF men from two camps in Koochbehar illegally entered into Bangladesh, vandalized at least three houses at Kisamot Nijjoma a village in Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat and fled with four cows.

Villagers said that the BSF troops from Ratanpur and Shalbari camps of 132 BSF Battalion at Meghliganj police station in Koochbehar district lifted four cows of Bangladesh villagers.

A three-hour company commander level flag meeting between Border Guard Bangladesh and the Indian BSF ended at the no-man’s land Tuesday afternoon without any results.

Villagers said that they want the cows lifted by BSF back.

Freedom fighter Kapor Uddin, 68, of Kisamot Nijjoma said that about 25 BSF men entered our village Monday night, vandalised three houses and fled with four cows from the village.

He said that the BSF men threatened the villagers they would be picked up unless they kept mum over what they did.

‘So we preferred to keep mum, until the BGB troops came to the village after the BSF men had left,’ he said.

The villagers are in panic, as flag meeting ended without any result, he said.

He said that the villagers were apprehensive that BSF could attack the village again anytime.

Moyna Begum, 36, wife of Atikar Rahman of the village said that the villagers were in panic after inconclusive flag meeting.

The BGB team leader, Burimari BGB company camp commander Helal Uddin Ahmed said that at the flag meeting the BSF team refused to admit what they did.

Despite protests from the BGB against the intrusion, he said, BSF flatly denied that they entered the Bangladeshi village, he said.

At the flag meeting held at no-man’s land near the main pillar No 854 at Sree Rampur border 12- member BSF team was led by company commander of Ratanpur BSF camp SK Singh.

Helal led an eight-member BGB team.

Watchdog denies border killings 'worried' it                 

The parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs did not express its concern over border killings but termed it 'tragic incidents', its chief said on Tuesday.

"We did not express our concern over the issue and did not put forward any recommendation to the foreign ministry," an annoyed Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, chairman of the watchdog, said at a press briefing after a committee meeting.

"We found the government action appropriate."

When asked about the remarks of LGRD minister Syed Ashraful Islam about border killings, he said, "I don't think his comment and the foreign ministry's position on the issue are conflicting."

Ashraf had said "The state is not worried about incidents at the border. These are everyday incidents, they've happened in the past, are happening now and will happen in future."

However, the foreign ministry issued two separate press statements in a week protesting against the incidents along the border with India.

But, the standing committee member form BNP, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, in a separate press briefing said he and the foreign minister expressed concern over the border killings.

"It is on record that I and the foreign minister both expressed concern."

Khokon said BNP would support the government if it acts boldly and protested the Indian "aggression" in the border areas.

"The government gave its reaction after BSF suspended its personnel. Why not earlier? What are they afraid of?" he questioned.

"The statements from the ministers and the position of the government have frustrated people," he claimed, "The government is pursuing a weak foreign policy."

When asked about it, standing committee chairman Mahmud said, "They (opposition) can say whatever they want but the government is not pursuing a weak foreign policy."

Mahmud claimed that more people had been killed during the period of BNP-led government.

"In the last three years, 141 people were killed in border areas while from 2001-2006, about 350 people were killed," he added.

"The border killings have dropped during the period of this government."

Border firing to go on

Reasserts BSF chief day before home ministers' meeting in Delhi

Indian Border Security Force chief UK Bansal yesterday reaffirmed his view that his soldiers at the border with Bangladesh would fire on criminals who dared them, a statement that has already created controversy over border killings.

"If, despite their [BSF personnel] efforts [of exercising restraint], they get into a situation where they are threatened and their lives are in danger, then they will use the force available to them to save their lives or the lives of their companions. That means they will fire," Bansal told Press Trust of India news agency.

According to the rights organization Odhikar, 203 people lost their lives in BSF firing near the border between 2009 and 2011.

None of the killings occurred in a situation in which the Indian guards' lives were at stake.

Triggering a controversy, Bansal had earlier said firing by BSF along the border with Bangladesh cannot stop completely.

The BSF chief, however, made it clear that firing will be the last resort and that the force has put in a number of measures to avert casualties.

His remarks came a day ahead of a meeting between Indian Home Minister India P Chidambaram and Bangladesh Home Minister Shahara Khatun. When the two ministers meet, Shahara is expected to raise the issue of BSF firing and killing of Bangladeshi civilians along the border.

Yesterday the BSF director general said, "They [BSF personnel] will fire with the available weapon... it may be non-lethal, it may be lethal... every patrol company will have both weapons but if a person is under attack and he is holding a rifle, he will fire his rifle.

"Even that firing he will do as far as possible with the intent not to kill but if casualties occur... we will have to tolerate it as an inescapable alternative," he said.

"It gives me no pleasure in killing any civilians. We have the best of relations with Bangladesh. We want to improve those relations... but we certainly cannot sacrifice the lives of our officers and men and we also have to complete our mandate, which is border guarding and, therefore, we are trying to strike a difficult balance between completing our task with as little force as possible," Bansal said.

He said the BSF is sending a fresh lot of non-lethal weapons to 23 border posts along the Bangladesh border. However, he claimed that since the time BSF decided to exercise "restraint" while dealing with cross-border movements, criminals have become bolder.

"They are coming in larger numbers... Sometimes even 300-400 at a time. They are breaching the fence with the confidence that they can get away with it... Cattle smuggling is being attempted with much greater openness," Bansal said.

"Some people say these are cattle traders and that BSF is killing them. My question is what trade is done in the middle of the night? From dusk to dawn, on the entire Bangladesh border we declare curfew and no movement is permitted. Whether Indian or Bangladeshi, he has no business to be there... So, to say that these people are innocent traders is not a very convincing argument," he said.

The DG said the BSF has asked the Border Guard Bangladesh to ensure strict vigil in vulnerable areas during the nights.

He claimed that since Chidambaram's visit to Bangladesh in July last year and subsequent order to exercise maximum restraint on the Bangladesh border, shooting incidents have come down by "about 70 percent".

Meanwhile, Home Minister Shahara Khatun reached New Delhi yesterday afternoon leading a 12-member delegation including Gowher Rizvi, international affairs adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq A Karim, and Home Secretary Mustaq Ahmed.

Before the talks with her Indian counterpart, Shahara is expected to call on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence around 10:00am today.

Home secretaries of the two countries held a preparatory meeting yesterday at the Indian home ministry ahead of the talks between the two home ministers.

Meanwhile, an official statement of Indian government last night said Chidambaram and Shahara would have one-on-one meeting before the delegation-level talks today.

Issues on security, border management and enhanced cooperation between the police and law enforcement agencies of the countries will be high on the agenda.

India's National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, Home Secretary RK Singh and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai would be in the Indian delegation.

The meeting of the home ministers of Bangladesh and India take on the added significance with the presence of Gowher Rizvi and Indian National Security adviser Shivshankar Menon, said officials who regularly attend ministerial-level talks between the two sides.

This clearly indicates that the home minister-level talks would focus on all issues relating to security cooperation between the two sides, especially the drives against terrorists and criminals.

Sources have said India is likely to ask Bangladesh to consider imposing night curfews along the border to prevent movement of people as India has done.

Protesting BSF's Border Brutality

>>Bangladeshi hackers shut down 25,000 Indian sites

In the first major hacking spree of the year, Black HAT Hackers, a Bangladesh based group hacked into nearly 25,000 Indian websites including that of Indian Border Security Force.

The group based in Bangladesh posted in their community page that their action was in response to the killings by BSF personnel in the border. BSF's website www.bsf.nic.in was completely damaged in the process.

One hacker belonging to the Black hat Hackers posted in the Facebook fan page of the group: “We don't have any personal issues with Indians. But the brutality of BSF as well as Indian Govt has forced us to do this.”

While another posted, “India supported us in 1971,now they r killing us!!!! An open enemy is better than a false friend.

”I don't care even if death comes... I'll keep fighting for my motherland until we get victory...!!!' reads another post.

The group also hacked www.paisacontrol.com website a popular Stock Tips, Stock News website.

The hackers after defacing many websites posted: Indian Border Security Force (BSF), Stop killing Bangladeshis at border. Bangladeshi Hackers group named 3xp1r3 Cyber Army also has hacked into more than 700 other Indian websites.

After hacking 20,000 Indian sites the Black Hat posted on internet celebrating their hacking episode.

The hackers also posted the videos of alleged brutality of the BSF personnel at the border.

Democracy tells us we are free, that each and every human being has inherent right to a dignified life. But how come, we are free yet we can die at any possible time in vain and in suffering, we are free yet we are enslaved by countless borders threatening the lives of our people, we are free yet our rights are not upheld, we are free yet justice for everyone is still a dream waiting in the wings of history.