Did you know? Indian BSF killed one Bangladeshi after entering the territory in northern Lalmonirhat district around 10:30pm Wednesday violating international border laws? Don’t know what can stop these killing machines…
In the recent years, the two prime ministers, home ministers and the heads of border forces sat many times. Even the Border Security Force (BSF) had agreed to use rubber bullets, instead of lethal weapons. They don’t care!
More importantly, the UN too warned Indian government to refrain from such acts. But of no use.
In the last decade, over a thousand Bangladeshi people were killed most of who were “cattle smugglers.”
Cattle smuggling is very common for Bangladeshi businessmen round the year. The demand rises high ahead of two Eid festivals of the Bangladeshi Muslim majority people. But only those who refuse to pay the BSF bribes for the “illegal” act are shot dead without any trial.
According to international border laws, the accused has to be detained and then put on police remand for trial.
Interestingly, both governments allow this “illegal trading,” and acts some official response over the deaths, torture or abductions taking place almost every day.
Former BSF chief U K Bansal just before his retirement on December 1, 2012 said: “We all have to think about it seriously. It is not a problem that can be solved by policing.” He made the comment when asked if the illegal cattle trade should be legalised given the economic realities in Bangladesh.
Nobody cared Bansal. Or else, the number of deaths in shooting could be brought down to nearly zero!
Do you know about the policymakers’ minds?
Ruling Awami League second man Syed Ashraful Islam on January 21, 2012 about BSF’s torture said: “Many such incidents are taking place in the bordering areas of the countries–cattle lifting, drug smuggling and many other things. This is nothing new. These happened in the past, are happening now and will also happen in future.”
“Cattle lifting, drug smuggling and many other crimes take place in border areas. We hear about these from people who live along the border and also from those who live elsewhere.”
Asked if torture and killings at the border were provocative, he said: “The state is not too much concerned about it. It is not right that the state shall focus only on these issues, leaving aside all other businesses.”
Another example of callousness is Felani trial.
Though the lone accused in the killing of the 15-year-old girl on the barbed wire along border had confessed to the offence, a special court last year declared him “not guilty!”
Following massive protests and criticism, the Indian government said they’d review the judgement soon.
But the proper time is yet to come…
This is Bangladesh!