Border killings to top DG-level talk agenda

Killing, abduction or detention of innocent Bangladeshi citizens at the border will dominate the director general level talks between Border Guard Bangladesh and Indian Border Security Force that starts today at the BGB Headquarters in Pilkhana.

According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), three Bangladeshis were tortured to death, seven injured and three were abducted from January till March this year.

The statistics of the rights organisation also shows that 24 people were killed, 35 wounded and 40 were abducted last year.

BGB DG Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam will lead a 15-member team. Other members include representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, foreign ministry, home ministry, department of narcotics control, joint river commission and survey of Bangladesh.

A 10-member BSF delegation led by its Director General (DG) KK Sharma reached Dhaka yesterday. The team included officials from the ministries of home and external affairs and top BSF officials, said BGB public relations officer Muhammad Muhsin Reza.

During the five-day conference, shooting at the innocent Bangladeshi nationals, illegal trespassing, smuggling of firearms, ammunition and explosives, smuggling of Phensedyl, heroin and yaba into Bangladesh and development works within 150 yards of international boundary will also be discussed.

On April 26, joint record of statement will be signed by the two sides.

The BGB and BSF DGs will inaugurate a joint retreat ceremony on April 27.