In the past 11 months under the interim government’s administration, at least 34 Bangladeshis have been killed by India’s Border Security Force (BSF), as reported by Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK). The figures for 2024 and 2023 were 30 and 31, respectively, indicating a persistent trend despite India’s promises to prevent border killings. Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) estimated that over the last decade, 305 Bangladeshis lost their lives and 282 were injured along the Bangladesh-India border, highlighting the lethal consequences of BSF’s repeated use of deadly force.
A recent incident on July 25 saw two Bangladeshi youths fatally shot and another injured by BSF near the Bashpaudia border point in Parshuram, Feni. The victims had crossed into Indian territory beyond the designated zero line marked by barbed wire fencing before being fired upon. While two managed to return to Bangladesh, one died at Feni General Hospital, and the other succumbed to injuries at Bilonia Hospital in India.
Despite the condemnation of illegal border crossings, the excessive use of lethal force by BSF remains unjustifiable. Since the removal of Hasina on August 5 last year, BSF has been involved in the killing of at least one Bangladeshi every month, except for November.
India’s recent actions have exacerbated tensions by forcibly pushing around 2,000 individuals, including Indian nationals and Rohingyas, into Bangladesh since May 7, bypassing legal procedures and international obligations. Despite protests from the Bangladeshi government, India has continued these push-ins, which experts consider as severe human rights violations violating established bilateral protocols like the 1975 Joint Guidelines and the 2011 Coordinated Border Management Plan.
Both the Hasina government and the interim administration have failed to effectively address India’s aggressive border actions. It is imperative for Bangladeshi authorities to assertively raise these concerns with New Delhi and consider seeking support from regional and international platforms to address these pressing issues.