Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday, June 17, described the alleged killings of Bangladeshi nationals by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the shared frontier as a “clear violation of human rights,” and said the issue was raised during recent talks between the two countries’ border forces. He made the remarks while addressing Parliament in Dhaka.
Ahmed said Bangladesh has repeatedly protested the use of lethal force by the BSF and reiterated Dhaka’s objection to border killings. “The killing of innocent Bangladeshi nationals by the BSF is extremely regrettable and constitutes a clear violation of human rights,” he told lawmakers.
The minister said the matter featured in Director General-level talks between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the BSF held recently in New Delhi. He alleged that fatalities continued to occur despite assurances from the BSF that lethal weapons would be avoided and non-lethal measures used instead in managing border incidents.
India has maintained that shootings along the border often occur in self-defence and are linked to cross-border crimes such as smuggling, illegal entry and trafficking, a point Ahmed acknowledged as part of the wider debate over rules of engagement.
Ahmed also criticised what he called India’s ongoing “push-in” operations along the border. He said the BGB had prevented 36 such attempts by the BSF since the West Bengal Assembly elections. He added that, since August 5, 2024, 2,369 people were allegedly pushed into Bangladesh by Indian authorities; of those, he said, 2,175 were handed to police stations, 11 were returned to the BSF and 183 were pushed back.
Despite these tensions, Ahmed said cooperation between the BGB and BSF has been strengthened to reduce border-related deaths and curb cross-border crime. He noted intensified joint night patrols in vulnerable areas and regular local-level flag meetings aimed at preventing escalation after incidents.
The minister’s remarks followed a diplomatic protest two days earlier, when Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka over an incident involving the prime minister’s adviser for strategy and information, Zahed Ur Rahman, at New Delhi airport. India and Bangladesh share a 4,096-kilometre international border, one of the world’s longest.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/national/story/bangladesh-home-minister-terms-border-killings-by-bsf-a-human-rights-violation-1409960-2026-06-17?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-06-17 22:00:00
