The atrocities of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the Bangladesh border have crossed all limits. This is evident from the fact that the BSF’s spree of killing Bangladeshis is continuing unabated. In the latest incident BSF shot dead two cowboys and wounded two others at Basantapur border in Kaliganj upazila in Satkhira on 18 April morning, according to UNB. Rekatul Islam, 16 , and another unidentified boy, whose body was dragged away by the BSF jawans, were killed on the spot. Rekatul was son of Munsur Gazi, resident of Basantapur village.Shahadat Hossain, 25 , of Maghurali village and Azizul Islam, 40 , of Jabakhali village were admitted to Khulna 250- bed Hospital with bullet wounds. The victims were rescued from the zero point of Basantapur border on Monday morning. It may be pointed out that BSF is killing Bangladeshi citizens along the border frequently. Earlier, on April 12 , BSF killed a Bangladeshi man at Sonaikandi frontier in Poba upazila in Rajshahi .The deceased was identified as Alamgir Hossain Kalu, 30 , of Berapara village of the upazila. He was a cattle trader. Before that one Bangladeshi national was killed and another injured when the BSF opened fire along Nitpur border under Porsha upazila in Naogaon on April 10. Even girls are not spared by BSF. A Bangladeshi girl Felani, 15 , fell victim to the brutal killing by BSF in January. She was the first Bangladeshi citizen to be killed by BSF in the year of 2011 and the 62 nd during the twelve months. With the latest killings, the number of Bangladeshis killed by BSF in the year of 2011 rose to eight and the total during the last 15 months to 69. Innocent and unarmed Bangladeshi citizens are being killed in indiscriminate firings and also in torture by BSF of India on the borders regularly. The BSF allegedly killed 907 unarmed Bangladeshis between January 2000 and 31 March 2011 , Odhikar, a human rights body based in Dhaka, says in its latest report. In other words till now 911 Bangladeshis have been killed by BSF since 2000. The atrocious Indian border guards are continuing their killing spree of Bangladeshi citizens on the border violating its own pledge not to do so. The killings of unarmed Bangladeshis by the BSF on the border are continuing in clear violation of the spirit of good neighborliness as well as international law and despite repeated pledges by the Indian authorities to stop it. In every meeting between BSF and BDR (now renamed BGB) and also between the higher level officials of the two countries, the Indian side assured that killing of Bangladeshis by its forces on the border would come to an end immediately. But this pledge has seldom been implemented. This is very unfortunate and unwarranted from a close neighbor We are constrained to write repeatedly on the atrocities of the Indian BSF as it has assumed the shape of a spectre and is showing its might by killing Bangladeshis along the border and trespassing illegally into Bangladesh territory. We find no words strong enough to condemn the killings of Bangladeshis by BSF. Although India speaks loudly of friendly relations with its neighbors, it acts apparently with a tendency of hegemony. We urge the Indian government to behave properly if it really wants good relations with neighbors. We cannot but raise a question as to what is our government doing in respect of the killings of Bangladeshis by BSF on the border. This is not a matter to be ignored or watched as silent spectator. The government must take up the matter very seriously and urgently with the government of India and ask them to stop the killings by BSF immediately. New Delhi should be told straight that friendship with Dhaka and killing Bangladeshi citizens on the border can not go hand in hand.
