After the four-day 56th Director General (DG)-level border conference between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday, the BSF reportedly agreed to 'stop border killings' along the Radcliffe Line, the border between Bangladesh and India.
This is not the first time such a commitment has been made.
Since Bangladesh and India inked the Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) in 2011, the BSF 'agreed' at least nine times to reduce border killings to zero.
However, that goal remains a long way off.
According to Bangladesh-based human rights organisation Odhikar, there were 1,367 cases of human rights violation in total by the BSF between 2009 to 2024, leaving 593 dead and 774 injured.
According to the Ain O Shalish Kendra, since the interim government took charge in August last year, at least 34 have been slain by the BSF.
The promises of the past
20 February, 2025: A DG-level conference between BGB and BSF in New Delhi ended with a joint statement that read, "In order to reduce incidents of shooting/killing/injuring/beating of unarmed citizens at the border to zero level, both sides agreed to increase joint patrols in vulnerable areas of the border".
09 March, 2024: A DG-level conference ended with the signing of a Joint Record of Discussion (JRD) at the BGB headquarters, where both sides agreed to reduce the killing of unarmed citizens in border areas to zero by taking effective steps, including enhancing joint patrolling.
19 September, 2020: A DG-level conference concluded in Dhaka with fresh promises from the Indian side that they would "try their best" to reduce killings along the border to zero.
12-15 June, 2019: At a BGB-BSF summit in Dhaka in June 2019, then BGB DG Major General Md Shafeenul expressed concern over Bangladeshi nationals being killed in bordering areas. He expected the BSF would take necessary measures to bring down the deaths. The then BSF chief, Rajani Kant Misra, termed those killings unfortunate and promised to bring down such killings to zero.
26 April, 2018: A similar pledge was declared by then BSF DG KK Sharma on April 26, 2018 during a DG-level conference.
21 February, 2017: The same pledge to bring down the border killings to zero was declared by then BGB chief Major General Abul Hossain and then BSF DG KK Sharma after a DG-level conference.
7 June, 2015: During Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh, a joint declaration was signed between the countries. It read that both prime ministers — Sheikh Hasina and Modi — reiterated that the number of deaths at the border must be brought down to zero. They directed the authorities concerned and the border forces to work to that effect.
7 September, 2011: A joint statement issued over the visit of Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh to Dhaka said that measures would be taken to prevent the loss of lives along the border.
The CBMP between India and Bangladesh
The CBMP between India and Bangladesh was inked on July 30, 2011, signed by India's then Home Minister P Chidambaram and his Bangladesh counterpart Shahara Khatoon.
The aim of CBMP is to synergise the efforts of both border forces for more effective control over cross-border illegal activities and crimes as well as for maintenance of peace and harmony along India-Bangladesh Border.
The CBMP outlined mechanism for the establishment of Nodal Officers whose responsibilities include:
- Immediately intervening in any border issue, if deemed necessary, for prevention and peaceful settlement of the problem.
- Ensuring timely implementation of all developmental works (except military) within 150 yards of IB.
- Promoting confidence building measures between the two border forces.
- Referring any major issues to appropriate the level.
- Discussing any other matter as deemed appropriate for attaining the goal of CBMP.
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