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Border killings don’t go with friendship, Momen says as Shringla insists Indians die too
2020-03-02 20:09:32
Staff Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has aired concerns over killings of Bangladeshis by India’s Border Security Force or BSF and said these do not go with “friendship”.
He urged visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who says citizens of his country are also killed along the borders, to take steps to put an end to the killings of Bangladeshis by BSF.
“I told him [Shringla] that we had decided on ‘zero killing’ along the border, but it has unfortunately increased this year,” Momen told the media after Shringla met him at his office in Dhaka on Monday.
“I also told him that they are friends to us and killings do not go with friendship,” he added.
Shringla assured Momen of steps to stop the killings, according to the foreign minister.
“He said they would try to stop this,” Momen said.
File Photo
Shringla, a former high commissioner to Bangladesh, told journalists after attending an event earlier in the day that the same number of Indians as that of Bangladeshis are killed along the border but the statistics are not reflected in Bangladesh.
He identified trans-border crimes in densely populated areas and very difficult geographical terrain as the reasons behind the killings.
At least 13 Indian nationals, including a BSF member, were killed along the border last year, according to Shringla.
The number of Bangladeshis killed in BSF firing or torture was 43 last year, human rights group Ain O Salish Kendra had said.
Border Guard Bangladesh had said 11 Bangladeshis were killed along the borders until mid-February this year.
India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla addressing a seminar titled ‘Bangladesh-India: A Promising Future’ at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Monday. Photo: Mostafigur Rahman
“Deaths on border are not necessarily just confined to citizens of Bangladesh. There are equal numbers of Indian citizens who were killed. Obviously, the statistics are not reflected on your side, because you are only looking at Bangladesh citizens,” Shringla said.
“And who are the causalities along the border?” he asked, pointing the finger at smuggling, trespassing and other criminal activities along the borders. “This clearly reflects criminalities know no geographical boundaries. Clearly, criminal activities take place on both sides.”
“Lately there are a lot of attacks on our border guarding forces and in many cases they have to respond to attacks on them by armed gangs,” he said.
But India “truly regrets” every death along the border, Shringla said.
“The problem I think is linked to the issues of densely populated sections of our society living close to border areas, almost along the border in many places, and very difficult geographical terrain in other places,” he said.
Shringla had pointed out at the event that a Teesta water-sharing agreement can only be finalised on the basis of consensus among stakeholders who include West Bengal state, given India’s federal system.
Momen said the Indian foreign secretary expects the signing of deals on sharing of six other rivers other than the Teesta during Modi’s visit.
India thinks it is necessary for the country to repay Bangladesh in exchange for water of the Feni river, the foreign minister said, citing Shringla.
Momen added he also discussed India’s citizenship issue with Shringla.
“I told him that many of their issues create concerns among the people of our country and the government needs to respond to the concerns. So we [government] don’t want them [India] to do anything that can make our job difficult,” he said.
“He (Shringla) replied that the issues will never affect Bangladesh in any way,” Momen added.
Source: https://m.bdnews24.com/amp/en/detail/world/1729895
2020-03-02 20:09:32
Staff Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has aired concerns over killings of Bangladeshis by India’s Border Security Force or BSF and said these do not go with “friendship”.
He urged visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who says citizens of his country are also killed along the borders, to take steps to put an end to the killings of Bangladeshis by BSF.
“I told him [Shringla] that we had decided on ‘zero killing’ along the border, but it has unfortunately increased this year,” Momen told the media after Shringla met him at his office in Dhaka on Monday.
“I also told him that they are friends to us and killings do not go with friendship,” he added.
Shringla assured Momen of steps to stop the killings, according to the foreign minister.
“He said they would try to stop this,” Momen said.
File Photo
Shringla, a former high commissioner to Bangladesh, told journalists after attending an event earlier in the day that the same number of Indians as that of Bangladeshis are killed along the border but the statistics are not reflected in Bangladesh.
He identified trans-border crimes in densely populated areas and very difficult geographical terrain as the reasons behind the killings.
At least 13 Indian nationals, including a BSF member, were killed along the border last year, according to Shringla.
The number of Bangladeshis killed in BSF firing or torture was 43 last year, human rights group Ain O Salish Kendra had said.
Border Guard Bangladesh had said 11 Bangladeshis were killed along the borders until mid-February this year.
India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla addressing a seminar titled ‘Bangladesh-India: A Promising Future’ at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Monday. Photo: Mostafigur Rahman
“Deaths on border are not necessarily just confined to citizens of Bangladesh. There are equal numbers of Indian citizens who were killed. Obviously, the statistics are not reflected on your side, because you are only looking at Bangladesh citizens,” Shringla said.
“And who are the causalities along the border?” he asked, pointing the finger at smuggling, trespassing and other criminal activities along the borders. “This clearly reflects criminalities know no geographical boundaries. Clearly, criminal activities take place on both sides.”
“Lately there are a lot of attacks on our border guarding forces and in many cases they have to respond to attacks on them by armed gangs,” he said.
But India “truly regrets” every death along the border, Shringla said.
“The problem I think is linked to the issues of densely populated sections of our society living close to border areas, almost along the border in many places, and very difficult geographical terrain in other places,” he said.
Shringla had pointed out at the event that a Teesta water-sharing agreement can only be finalised on the basis of consensus among stakeholders who include West Bengal state, given India’s federal system.
Momen said the Indian foreign secretary expects the signing of deals on sharing of six other rivers other than the Teesta during Modi’s visit.
India thinks it is necessary for the country to repay Bangladesh in exchange for water of the Feni river, the foreign minister said, citing Shringla.
Momen added he also discussed India’s citizenship issue with Shringla.
“I told him that many of their issues create concerns among the people of our country and the government needs to respond to the concerns. So we [government] don’t want them [India] to do anything that can make our job difficult,” he said.
“He (Shringla) replied that the issues will never affect Bangladesh in any way,” Momen added.
Source: https://m.bdnews24.com/amp/en/detail/world/1729895
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