BGB DG stresses need for more diplomatic efforts to stop border killings

Border Guard Bangladesh Director General (DG) Major General Md Shafeenul Islam has stressed the importance of increased diplomatic efforts to reduce killings of Bangladeshi citizens by the Border Security Force (BSF) of India on the border.

 

He also highlighted the need for the economic development of people on the border and public awareness along the border areas to reduce BSF's killings there.

 

He said, "It is possible to bring down the number of border killings to zero through diplomatic activities along with public awareness and economic development of the border people."

 

The BGB DG said this while replying to a query of reporters about border killings, after inaugurating BGB Day 2020 programmes through hoisting BGB's regimental flags atop BGB headquarters in the capital on Sunday morning.

 

Citing that the issue was discussed at the virtual meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on 17 December, he said, "Besides, it was discussed in the two countries' director general of border security forces level also." 

 

Meanwhile, 41 Bangladeshi nationals have been killed this year, on the border, as of 14 December. In 2019, 34 Bangladeshi citizens were killed by BSF members.

 

"To support economic development activities among the border people, boats have been distributed among 100 fishermen and more will be distributed," said the DG.

 

Asked what the major challenge is for BGB, Shafeenul said that the major challenge is to make BGB technologically up-to-date in order to keep up the pace with the world.

 

"Usually the distance from one of BGB's border outposts [BOP] to another is eight to 10 kilometres. Setting up BOPs in unprotected border areas, including hill tracts, is also another challenge. To reduce the distance between two outposts, we are trying to make more BOPs," he said.

 

BGB Day 2020 was celebrated on Sunday with various programmes at BGB's Pilkhana headquarters and by all battalions across the country.