BGB expresses grave concern over border killings

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam today expressed grave concern over the incidents of firing and killing of Bangladeshi nationals along the borders.

While addressing a joint media briefing on the fourth day of the BSF and BGB director general-level meeting, he emphasized the need for bringing the border killings to a zero level.

Meanwhile, BSF Director General (DG) KK Sharma claimed that there was no report of killing any Bangladeshi nationals by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the borders since January this year.

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“We will try to keep the situation like this all over the year,” BSF DG Sharma said while briefing the media at the Pilkhana Headquarters in Dhaka.

“We are very careful about any violation of human rights,” he added.

His claim came at a time when Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) on Tuesday in a report said that 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.

BSF Director General KK Sharma is leading a 10-member delegation while BGB Director General Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam 15-member Bangladesh team.

Both sides agreed to take effective steps to prevent human trafficking and illegal crossing, according to a joint press release issued at the meeting.

Both delegations also agreed to enhance the joint capacity building of personnel from either side, sharing of information regarding organised criminal activities and increased surveillance in areas vulnerable to crimes on the border, according to the press release.

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.