High Commission of India, Dhaka
July 20, 2005
PRESS RELEASE
____________________
High Commission of India , Dhaka has been concerned to see the release put out by Odhikar, a Bangladeshi human rights organisation dated June 20, 2005, which claimed that 394 Bangladeshis have been killed by BSF in the last five and a half years, between January 2000 to May 31, 2005. Most Bangladesh newspapers have reported on the Odhikar release and quoted extensively from it. The Odhikar report is based on local media reports, which are unverified.
2. The Odhikar report was referred to the concerned authorities in India . India 's Border Security Force has sent us their detailed report on the incidents along the India-Bangladesh border, which is summarized in the table below:
Summary of incidents on India-Bangladesh Border y of incidents on India-Bangladesh Border[ Jan. 2000 – June 2005 ]
Year
Total
Incidents
of firing
involving
violence
against
BSF persons
involving
breach
of fenceBD Nationals 2000
128
13
05
02
20
29
99
124
04
2001
179
62
27
01
90
48
131
159
20
2002
222
93
32
05
130
49
173
185
37
2003
248
28
17
--
45
51
197
211
37
2004
299
42
25
06
73
48
251
274
25
2005 (till June)
124
27
11
05
43
21
103
113
11
Total
1200
265
117
17
399
246
954
1066
134
Source: BSF
3. 399 persons have been killed due to firing in the period January 2000 to June 30, 2005, of which 30% (or 117) were Indian nationals, while 265 were Bangladeshi nationals and 17 persons whose nationality is still unknown. Most of the incidents involved violence against BSF personnel [88%], while the rest involved breach of the fence. The significant number of Indian nationals killed in the incidents shows that the BSF does not differentiate between Indian and Bangladeshi criminals. Its objective is to ensure that criminal activity across the borders is kept to a minimum and that law and order is maintained to the extent possible.
4. It should be noted that about 80% of the incidents and casualties have taken place at night, when criminals and anti-social elements involved in arms and narcotics smuggling, smuggling of contraband goods and those involved in trans-border crimes such as dacoity, cattle lifting, etc. have tried to cross the border under the cover of darkness.
5. The BSF is a highly disciplined and professional force, which respects the value of human life. There are institutional arrangements in place, which require the BSF personnel to exercise maximum restraint. If there are intrusions or threatening actions by criminals, the BSF first issues verbal warnings. If these warnings are ignored and the criminals continue with provocative actions, the BSF fires warning shots. BSF resorts to firing only as a last resort, under extreme provocation and in the right of self-defence. Each incident of firing by the BSF is enquired into by senior officers, to ensure that restraint is used. If there is any violation by BSF personnel, strict disciplinary action is taken against them.
6. The allegations by Odhikar that most of the Bangladeshi nationals who have been killed are ‘innocent farmers' and that BSF has been resorting to kidnapping and looting is completely false and untrue. The Odhikar report that BSF is resorting to ‘continuous firing, abduction and looting' is without basis and is therefore strongly refuted.
7. Similarly, the reports alleging that BSF tries to push-in ‘Bengali-speaking Indian nationals' into Bangladesh are entirely incorrect and baseless. As the world's largest democracy, India has an independent judiciary, a free press and an open political system where every Indian citizen has the right of redressing his/her grievances. No Indian citizen has ever complained of being pushed out of India forcibly, nor has any Indian organisation or agency been accused of pushing out Indians. There have been no reports of Indians being pushed out of the country, either in the Indian media or reported by any NGO. This clearly shows that reports of ‘push-ins' by Odhikar are not supported by facts. It is strongly emphasized that no ‘push-in' of any Bengali-speaking Indian nationals into Bangladesh has ever taken place.
8. It is well-known that the border between India and Bangladesh is porous and that there is considerable cross-border criminal activity, which includes smuggling, illegal migration, illegal trade in arms & explosives, trafficking in narcotics, trafficking of women and children, counterfeit currency, theft, kidnapping, etc. There is also significant smuggling of goods between the countries. These cross-border problems have been acknowledged by both governments of India and Bangladesh . Regular meetings are being held between the BSF and BDR, Foreign Ministries and Home Ministries of India and Bangladesh to discuss and resolve these issues. Exaggerated and incorrect reports, intended to inflame and distort public opinion, will only prevent the official and ongoing dialogue from making progress in evolving mutually acceptable mechanisms to minimise such incidents.