Tuesday 10 September 2013

এক বাংলাদেশিকে নিয়ে গেছে বিএসএফ

Monday 9 September 2013

লাশটি ফেরত দেয়নি বিএসএফ

সীমান্তে কৃষককে ‘হত্যা করেছে বিএসএফ’

Saturday 7 September 2013

BSF kills 21 in eight months

 Kailash Sarkar

At least 75 other Bangladeshis were allegedly abducted by BSF over the same period

The Indian Border Security Force has never quite kept its promise of bringing down the number of Bangladeshis killed at the borders to zero. 

Unofficial reports suggest that at least 21 Bangladeshis were killed and 60 others injured in the last eight months by the Indian Border Security Force. 

At least 75 other Bangladeshis were allegedly abducted by BSF over the same period. 
Apart from shooting to death, there are many instances where Bangladeshis were picked up from the border areas and later tortured to death, raising widespread human rights concern. 

However, differing with the statistics, Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed, director general of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), claimed that only 16 people were killed in the border this year; of them, 14 by BSF men. 

“Fourteen Bangladeshis were killed by BSF men this year at the India-Bangladesh border. Two other Bangladeshis were killed over a local feud. The BSF men were not involved in the killing of the latter two,” the BGB chief said. 

“The BSF men do not use lethal weapons anymore and they did not fire at the Bangladeshis with heavy weapons. Those Bangladeshis were killed by rubber bullets. 

“They might have received the rubber bullets from close ranges,” said Maj   Gen Aziz, adding: “Even if someone is hit by a small stone, that person may die it hits at any sensitive part of the body.” 

When asked why so many people were hurt or abducted by BSF, the BGB chief said not all the reported cases could be confirmed. Sometimes BGB was not informed of the incidents, he claimed. 

“Whenever the BGB is informed of any such incident, we take proper measures. There are also many instances where BSF returned those it had earlier abducted or detained.” Maj Gen Aziz said. 

On Friday, a special court of BSF in India’s Koch Behar acquitted BSF member Amiya Ghosh, the only accused in the killing of Bangladeshi teenager Felani Khatun, citing him innocent. 

15-year-old Felani was shot dead by the BSF men while she was entering Bangladesh over the barbed-wire fences along the Anantapur border point in Kurigram on January 7, 2011. 

When contacted, Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed said he had heard about the verdict on media, but had no formal or official information about it. 

“We communicated the BSF authorities and other sources, but none could give us any official or authentic report,” the BGB chief said. 

“The trial of Felani killing was a result of global media outcry and the initiatives taken by the Bangladesh government. If required, the trials of the other killings will also be initiated.”   

Bangladesh and India share a 3,909km border.  

Instances of BSF shooting, killing, torturing and abducting unarmed Bangladeshi civilians in the border areas violate international norms and treaties, which say if citizens of the two countries illegally cross the border, it would be considered trespass and as per law those persons should be handed over to the respective civilian authority.

http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/sep/07/bsf-kills-21-eight-months 

Friday 6 September 2013

India acquits Felani killer


Tribune Online Report Law & Rights

The 15-year-old was shot dead by BSF men while attempting to cross the border

A special court set up by India’s Border Security Force acquitted BSF Constable Amiya Ghosh of the charge of killing Bangladeshi girl Felani Khatun at the Cooch Behar border.

BSF’s 181 Battalion Constable Amiya Ghosh, the prime accused, could not be found guilty because of “inconclusive and insufficient” evidence against him, the court said in its verdict.

A five-man BSF General Security Forces court headed by its Assam-Meghalaya frontier DIG (Communication) SP Trivedi conducted the hearings at Sonari BSF camp near the North Bengal town of Cooch Behar from August 13.

BSF officials said that the verdict was given on Thursday night and the proceedings of the GSF court were forwarded to the Director General for final approval because the case has been seen as “extra sensitive.”

“We can make a formal announcement only after the DG’s decision,” said a BSF official wishing not to be named as he was not authorised to talk to media.

The official was reluctant to share details of the proceedings of the GSF court, but said that the charges against Amiya Ghosh could not be “clinching.”

Public Prosecutor of the Kurigam District Judge’s Court Abraham Lincoln, who was assisting Felani’s family, told our Kurigram correspondent that justice had been compromised through the verdict.

“The possibility to stop unabated killing at the border has faded and it is a disrespect to human rights to acquit a self-confessed killer,” Lincoln added.

Decrying the verdict, Felani’s father Nurul Islam said, “A killer of such an inhuman act can in no way be acquitted. I will seek justice at the International Court.”

Her mother Jahanara Begum said, “The Indian government has betrayed us. We do not accept the verdict.”

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) acting commanding officer Major Abdullah Al Mahmud said, “BSF has not informed us officially. We are trying to contact and we are still expecting justice of the killing from the court.”

West Bengal-based rights group MASUM’s Kirity Ray lashed out at the BSF for unleashing a reign of terror on the border and said Felani was a victim of it.

“The BSF trial was a shame,” he added. It was the first instance of BSF trying any of its personnel despite frequent border killings.

Felani’s father M Nurul Islam and maternal uncle M Abdul Hanif travelled to Cooch Behar to testify at the court. Lt Col Ziaul Haque Khaled of BGB 45 Battalion and Kurigram public prosecutor Abraham Lincoln also went to assist the witnesses.

Felani, a 15-year-old girl, was shot dead by BSF while she was returning to her home in Bangladesh. As she tried to climb over the barbed-wire fencing along the Anantapur border in Kurigram on January 7, 2011, her clothes got entangled in the wire and the BSF fired at her, hearing her screams.

Her body was left dangling on the barbed wire for nearly five hours and she was reportedly alive for at least four hours after being shot.

The photograph of Felani’s bullet-ridden body hanging from the barbed wire was published in the local and international media, following which there was an outpouring of demand for justice.

http://www.dhakatribune.com/law-amp-rights/2013/sep/06/bsf-man-acquitted-felani-killing-case

ফেলানী হত্যা: ধৈর্য্য ধরার পরামর্শ ভারতের

ফেলানী হত্যা: বিএসএফ সদস্য ‘নির্দোষ’