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Despite repeated assurances from the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to minimise the use of lethal force and bring border killings down to zero, fatalities along the Bangladesh-India frontier continue to spark concern.
Even as Dhaka and New Delhi step up engagement to reset bilateral ties, incidents along the border suggest a persistent gap between commitments and realities on the ground.
BSF officials have on multiple occasions pledged restraint during Director General-level meetings and other border conferences with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
Joint Records of Discussion (JRDs) from these meetings regularly emphasise the use of non-lethal measures, including rubber bullets.
However, rights groups say most victims are still killed by gunfire, pointing to the continued use of lethal weapons.
Allegations of excessive force, including shootings, physical abuse and aggressive pursuit, remain frequent, particularly in cases linked to suspected cattle smuggling, unauthorised crossings and informal cross-border trade.
Deaths remain steady despite commitments
Data from rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) shows that at least 91 Bangladeshis were killed and 87 others injured in alleged BSF firing between January 1, 2023 and May 9, 2026.
Year-wise data indicates a steady pattern: 26 killed and 32 injured in 2023; 30 killed and 29 injured in 2024; and 31 killed and 18 injured in 2025. So far this year, four people have been killed and eight injured.
The figures suggest that the use of lethal force has not significantly declined despite repeated pledges.
Over the past decade, border killings have remained a recurring concern, with Bangladesh recording one of the highest numbers of such deaths globally.
Fresh incidents heighten alarm
The latest incident occurred early on May 9 along the Pathariadar border in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria, where two Bangladeshis — Morsalin, an HSC second-year student, and Nabi Hossain, 40 — were shot dead by BSF personnel.
Family members said the bodies were taken to a hospital in Agartala.
Witnesses claimed BSF opened fire on a group of 20 to 25 people near the border, killing Morsalin on the spot.
Locals also alleged that several others were injured and later taken to Cumilla for treatment. Family members confirmed Nabi’s death.
Earlier incidents reflect a similar pattern.
On July 2, 2025, Ibrahim Khalil Babu, 29, was killed in firing at the Sultanpur border in Chuadanga. On December 5 the same year, the body of Sabuj Islam, 29, who was shot dead along the Patgram border in Lalmonirhat, was handed over to BGB following a flag meeting.
Violence amid renewed engagement
Analysts note that incidents of border violence often coincide with periods of diplomatic engagement, raising questions about the effectiveness of existing mechanisms.
Since the formation of a government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, contacts between Dhaka and New Delhi have increased, signalling a possible shift toward more constructive cooperation.
The renewed engagement, following strained ties during the interim administration, reflects a shared intent to recalibrate relations, with a focus on dialogue, economic cooperation and regional connectivity.
Yet continued reports of shootings along the border are fuelling public concern.
Calls for accountability
Experts say assurances alone are not enough and stress the need for stronger monitoring and accountability.
They recommend enhanced real-time communication between BGB and BSF, more joint patrols and strict adherence to international human rights standards.
Transparent investigations into each incident and punitive action in proven cases are also essential, they say.
Saidur Rahman, chief executive officer of Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation, said killings have declined compared to previous years but not enough to meet the stated goal of zero deaths.
“Earlier, there used to be 10 to 15 killings a month. That number has come down,” he said. “But the continued use of lethal weapons makes it impossible to reduce killings to zero.”
He alleged that Bangladeshi nationals are often treated as hostile.
“Many people go near the border for practical reasons — farmland, cattle. If they are treated as enemies, then shooting will continue,” he said.
Rahman emphasised that non-lethal measures could be used to detain individuals instead of opening fire.
“If they are treated as human beings, they could be detained using non-lethal weapons,” he added.
Prime Minister’s Political Adviser and BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at an event in the capital on Sunday urged India to stop border killings, saying a stable and friendly relationship between the two neighbouring countries cannot be built on repeated bloodshed along the border.
“Repeatedly turning the border bloody can never build a good relationship. So, the BJP must stop the bloodshed,” he said, adding that if India truly wants to establish a lasting and friendly relationship with Bangladesh, it must abandon the mentality of violence.