‘No Bangladeshis killed by BSF this year’

No Bangladeshi nationals were killed this year along Indo-Bangla border till to date as BSF started maintaining non-lethal strategy.

Director General (DG) of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) KK Sharma made the comment while speaking at a press briefing at BGB Headquarters in the city on Thursday afternoon.

Though the non-lethal strategy has proved extremely successful in reducing deaths in the border but it has also resulted in an alarming increase in incidents of attacks by the criminals on BSF personnel, he said replying to a query

The press conference was organised at the end of the director general-level formal border talks between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian BSF.

BGB DG Major General Md Shafeenul Islam led 15-member Bangladesh delegation, while his counterpart BSF DG KK Sharma led 10-member Indian delegation in the conference that began on April 24.

Both the DGs responded to questions by different media. Earlier a Joint Record of Discussion was also signed after formal ending of the talks.

The BSF DG said that his force is very careful about any violation of human rights in the frontiers. "We are working to bring the border killing down at zero level," he said adding that "We don't want incident of violation of Human Rights occur in the frontier."

About smuggling of phensidyle into Bangladesh from Indian frontier, he said the BSF have been continuing its efforts to check it by conducting drive and vigilance. We are active to prevent entering illegal drugs into Bangladesh from India.

DG BGB Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam said as both the border forces have been maintaining non-lethal policy strictly, the number of killing in bordering areas significantly came down. He said that sometimes members of both the border forces also have to face attacks by miscreants due to use of non-lethal weapon policy.

During the border conference, the DG BGB expressed grave concern on the incidents of firing and killing of Bangladeshi nationals and emphasized the need for bringing the death toll to zero through exercising extreme caution by BSF and sensitising Indian nationals living along the border.

In reply, the DG BSF stated that, though the non-lethal strategy has proved extremely successful in reducing deaths in the border but it has also resulted in an alarming increase in incidents of attacks by the criminals on BSF personnel. BSF personnel fire with non-lethal weapon only for self-defense, the DG BSF said in the conference, reports UNB.

The border conference has taken decision that joint efforts by BGB and BSF will be undertaken to bring down the killing incidents to zero by increasing coordinated patrols in areas vulnerable to cattle and drug smuggling, educating border population about the sanctity of International Boundary (IB) and preventing criminals from crossing the IB.

Highlighting the importance of Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) in curbing the menace of trans-border crimes like smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives, drugs and narcotics including Yaba (Amphetamine), Fake Indian Currency Notes, Gold and Cattle; breaching of IBB fence, dacoities, theft, abductions etc; both sides agreed to implement CBMP in letter and spirit.

Both sides also agreed to take effective steps to prevent human trafficking and illegal crossing. Both the delegation agreed to enhance joint capacity building of personnel from either side, sharing of information regarding organized criminal activities and increased surveillance in areas vulnerable to crimes on the border.

In this regard, mapping of vulnerable areas to trans-border criminal activities will be updated biannually.

To enhance the mutual relationship between forces, both sides agreed to continue confidence measures like; joint exercises, seminars, medical campaigns, organizing Milon Mela at border etc.

During the conference, both the DGs also reiterated their commitments to work jointly for maintaining peace, tranquility and security at the border. Both sides agreed to hold the next DG level conference in New Delhi preferably in 1st week of September 2018.

Caption: Director Generals of both BGB and BSF at a press conference in the city on Thursday Photo: UNB