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Felani killing: Parents seek closure as judicial process drags on in India
Yesterday (January 7, 2023) marked the 12th death anniversary of Felani Khatun, whose killing stood out among the at least 1236 Bangladeshis who lost their lives at the hands of the Indian Border Security Force between 2000-2020 (Odhikar).
On January 7, 2011, fifteen-year-old Felani Khatun was gunned down by the BSF when she, along with her father, was returning home from India through Anantapur border along Phulbari upazila of Kurigram.
Felani and her father were not cattle smugglers, the usual victims of India’s trigger happy border guards (although opening fire unless they pose a threat is also illegal under Indian law). In fact, she used to work as a domestic help in New Delhi.
The little girl was obviously unarmed and represented no threat. The image that went viral of her body stuck on the barb-wire border fence, shot in the act of climbing past it, disturbed the conscience of people on both sides of the fence.
Read more: 11 years of Felani Killing: wait for justice gets longer
A case filed against the BSF in an Indian court with the cooperation of Indian human rights activists remains pending in the Indian High Court. Twelve years on, a sense of despondency has gripped the parents of Felani in their search for justice.
Though the judicial proceedings in the case have been delayed due to Covid-19, they still expressed their hope to stop the border killings through the establishment of justice.
Felani's death triggered a huge global outcry as the photo of her body hanging upside down went viral. The BSF men handed over the body a day after her killing.
Following the outcry on both sides of the border, BSF started an internal investigation into the incident and submitted a chargesheet against its constable Amiya Ghosh, who fired the fatal shot. It was the first such instance for a killing in the Bangladesh portion of India’s massive border.
Read more: Border killing: Photo exhibition held on Felani’s home premises
However, a special court constituted by the BSF acquitted Amiya Ghosh of the charge in August 2013.
Later, in the wake of widespread criticism of the acquittal, BSF decided to revive the murder trial. Yet another judicial court upheld the previous verdict and acquitted Amiya Ghosh again in July 2015.
Following this, Felani's father Nurul Islam with the help of the Indian human rights organisation Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum) filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court of India.
The Supreme Court bench, headed by the country’s chief justice, show-caused several Indian bodies including the Home Ministry, in this regard.
Read more: Justice eludes Felani’s family
Talking to UNB, Felani’s father, Nurul Islam, said, “My daughter was killed by the BSF member in front of my eyes while crossing the border but I did not get justice in the last 12 years. The date of the trial proceedings was deferred several times. Now, I demand capital punishment for Amiya Ghosh and I hope the governments of the two countries reach an agreement to revive the judicial process and complete it."
Jahanara Begum, mother of Felani, said, "I was in India when my daughter was killed. My soul will not rest until justice is done for my daughter's murder."
After twelve years, the family is in need of closure, and although the border killings have dropped significantly, the stated objective of both sides to bring them down to zero is still some way off.
Looking at the number killed each year since the turn of the century, it is tempting to suggest that the Felani killing’s aftermath had some restraining effect on BSF jawans freely exercising a shoot-to-kill policy along the 4096-kilometre border with Bangladesh that is conspicuously absent from the standard operating procedure followed for its other international borders with various other countries.
Read More: Border killings not expected: Shahriar Alam
Bangladeshi deaths in BSF firing peaked at 155 in 2006, and remained above one hundred in 2007. Triple figures were nearly breached once again in 2009 (98), and fell to a still very high 74 in 2010. Then right at the start of 2011, Felani was killed. There would be just 30 more such deaths that year.
Although the 50 mark would be crossed again for the first time in ten years in 2020, they have been pulled back again. Although their final figure isn’t in yet, watchdog Ain o Salish Kendra counted ‘at least 16 deaths’ in 2022.
SM Abraham Lincoln, public prosecutor of Kurigram district who has stood by the family through the entire period, said despite the showcause notices, no hearings have been held as yet on the writ petition by a bench of the Indian Supreme Court.
"Even if it is delayed, the friendly relations and peaceful borders between the two countries will be established through justice," he hoped.
Read More: BGB, BSF agree to cut border killings.
Cattle trader shot dead ‘by BSF’ along Lalmonirhat border
A Bangladeshi cattle trader was shot dead allegedly by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) members along Burimari border in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat early Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Bipul Hossain 23, of the upazila.
According to locals, a group of cattle traders including Bipul tried to bring Indian cows through Patgram border in the early hours of Sunday.
Read more: Bangladeshi shot dead ‘by BSF’ along Lalmonirhat border
Bipul sustained bullet when BSF opened fire at them, Omar Faruq, officer-in-charge (OC) of Patgram police station.
He succumbed to his injuries on the way to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital, he added.
Read more: Another Bangladeshi man shot to death by BSF along Satkhira border
Bangladeshi man found dead along Lalmonirhat border
The body of a 28-year old Bangladeshi man, allegedly shot dead by Indian Border Security Force(BSF), was found at the Indian side of Patgram border in Lalmonirhat on Thursday.
The deceased was identified by family as Sahadat Hossain, a cattle trader and son of Idris Ali from Auliarhat village at patgram upazila.
Read more: Cattle trader tortured to death in Lalmonirhat, BSF blamed
His family and some locals claimed he was shot dead by BSF members when he entered to the border area to bring cows with some traders.
Lieutenant Colonel Towhidul Islam, Commander of Lalmonirhat BGB battalion 15, said the Bangladeshi man was found lying 120 gauge inside the Indian border and said BSF has been asked about it officially.
Read more: 2 Bangladeshis shot dead in BSF firing along Lalmonirhat border, locals say
Sahadat’s father Idris Ali said ,” My son was shot dead by BSF. I have seen picture of his body with bullet wounds.”
India’s BSF says 5,500 CCTV cameras to be installed along borders with Bangladesh, Pakistan
Chief of India’s Border Security Force (BSF), Pankaj Kumar Singh, has said that they will install 5,500 CCTV cameras along the borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan.
“The central government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore for this procurement,” he said on Wednesday while addressing the annual press conference in Delhi, reports the Hindustan Times.
Read more: BSF hands over body of Bangladeshi farmer after 15 days through Feni border
The fund has been sanctioned for surveillance cameras, drones and other monitoring gadgets, the BSF chief said.
“We have got around 5,500 CCTV surveillance cameras and some other gadgets and the Union home ministry has sanctioned a Rs 30-crore fund for this procurement,” Singh said. Soon, he said, the CCTV cameras will be installed in the front areas – at the borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Read more: BGB, BSF agree to cut border killings
While terming the use of drones from across the border as a “major challenge”, for which they do not have a fool proof solution yet, Singh said that BSF has developed “low-cost” technology solutions for monitoring infiltration, drone activity and other crimes at the Indian border.
“We have tried to enhance the surveillance in border areas in a big way. This entails use of surveillance cameras and drones on the western and eastern theatres (Pakistan and Bangladesh fronts respectively),” the BSF chief was quoted. India and Bangladesh share 4,096km land border.
BSF hands over body of Bangladeshi farmer after 15 days through Feni border
The body of a Bangladeshi farmer, who was shot and tortured to death allegedly by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the Feni border on November 13, was handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Tuesday.
The body was handed over through Bilonia Land port in Feni.
Md Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Parshuram police station, said it was sent to Fenir Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.
Read more: BSF hands over body of Bangladeshi cattle trader
The deceased was Meshbar, 47, son of Mafizur Rahman of Uttar Guthuma village under the Parshuram upazila.
Victim’s wife Morium and locals said the BSF picked him up from his cropland while he was harvesting paddy on November 13 afternoon.
Morium alleged that the BSF members punched, kicked and beat him when he tried to resist them. At one stage, sound of firing was heard there.
Later, the members of BGB and BSF held meetings for three times over the matter, but the BSF denied the allegation of picking him up.
Read more: BSF hands over body of Bangladeshi teenager after 5 days
The body of the farmer was found lying on the ‘Zero Line’ between the countries on November 16.
BGB, BSF agree to cut border killings
Bangladeshi and Indian border guards will patrol vulnerable border points jointly while they will take additional precautionary measures to lower the number of casualties, officials said Thursday.
In a meeting, they also decided to reduce the number of injuries and stop assaulting unarmed citizens.
The decision was taken during a four-day regional border conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) that ended in Kolkata on Wednesday.
The frontier conference between the BGB Regional Commanders (Rangpur and Jessore Region) and Frontier Inspector Generals (South Bengal, North Bengal and Guwahati Frontier) of BSF began on November 13.
Read more: BGB-BSF DG-level border conference begins in Dhaka
Commander of BGB’s North-West region, Rangpur, Brigadier General A B M Nowroj Ehsan had led an 11-member Bangladesh delegation, while BSF South Bengal Frontier Inspector General Dr. Atul Fulzele had led a 12-member Indian delegation in the conference.
During the conference, BSF South Bengal Frontier Inspector General Dr. Atul Fulzele referred to the existing cordial relationship between the two border guarding forces and emphasised on the joint efforts of both forces to implement an effective 'Integrated Border Management Plan (CBMP)'.
Brig Gen Ehsan highlighted the importance of following the Joint India-Bangladesh Guidelines-1975 and effectively implementing the CBMP to resolve the border issues and also cited the role of both the border guarding forces in maintaining peace and order along the border.
Read more: BGB-BSF border conference underway in Jashore
During the conference, both sides agreed that increased joint patrolling by BGB and BSF will prevent smuggling along the border.
They also decided to exchange information between the two forces immediately to take effective action against those involved and apprehended in order to eliminate various types of cross-border crimes, especially smugglings of yaba, phensidyl, various types of drugs, narcotic tablets, gold, arms and cattle.
Bangladeshi farmer’s body found along Feni border; BSF blamed
The body of a farmer was recovered on Wednesday three days after members of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) had picked him up from his cropland along the border at Parshuram upazila of the district.
The deceased was identified as Meshba Uddin, son of Mafizur Rahman of Uttar Guthuma village under the upazila.
The victim’s wife Morium, locals and police said the BSF picked him up from his cropland, saying that he was a member of a smuggling group while he was collecting paddy on Sunday afternoon.
Morium alleged that the BSF members punched, kicked and beat him while he tried to resist them. At one stage sounds of three rounds of bullet were heard there.
Local government representative Nizam Uddin said members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the BSF held meetings for three times on Monday over the matter, but the BSF from their side denied the allegation of picking him up.
Read more: BSF kills Bangladeshi cattle trader in Chuadanga, says BGB
Arifur Rahman, commandant of the BGB-4 battalion, said they came to know through locals that the BSF left the body of the farmer in Indian territory, which is around 100 yards away from the border fence.
“We came to know that the BSF took away him from his cropland when he was working there on Sunday afternoon,” he said.
Syeda Shamsad Begum, upazila nirbahi officer, said the BGB and police were jointly working to
Bangladeshi farmer ‘tortured by BSF’ near Chapainawabganj border
India's Border Security Force (BSF) member have reportedly tortured a Bangladeshi farmer entering the Shingnagar border in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj.
The victim is Eslam Ali, 70, of the upazila.
BGB-53 Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Mohammad Suruj Mia said the farmer was working in the field within 15 yards of the border zero line on Wednesday noon when the BSF members enter the border and tortured him.
Locals rushed the farmer to Shibganj Health Complex and then to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) as his two hands were broken.
On information, BGB men visited the spot with the farmer's son.
Read: Another Bangladeshi man shot to death by BSF along Satkhira border
“A letter has been sent to the BSF strongly protesting the matter,” said the officer.
Meanwhile, local UP member Serajul Islam alleged that BSF often enters Bangladesh and tortures the farmers here.
Another Bangladeshi man shot to death by BSF along Satkhira border
The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) gunned down a Bangladeshi man near the Khaitala border in Satkhira Sadar early Sunday.
Although there has been no official acknowledgement from the Indian side, a Border Guard Bangladesh commander confirmed the matter.
The incident occurred around 4am in the Koijuri area on the Indian side of the border. The victim has been named as Hasanur Rahman, 25, of Kushkhali village.
Hasanur's father Haider Ali said, "My son crossed into India a few days ago to visit a relative because he did not have a passport. While he was returning home early Sunday in the same way around, alongside a few other companions, a BSF patrol from India's Koijuri Camp opened fire on them. Hasanur was critically injured in the shooting."
Later, Hasanur's companions managed to drag him to Bangladesh territory and admitted him to Satkhira Sadar Hospital around 6am. As his condition worsened, he was referred to Khulna Surgical Hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival at 7am, according to the father.
Read: BSF kills Bangladeshi cattle trader in Chuadanga, says BGB
Satkhira-33 BGB commander Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Al Mahmud said, "When BSF was asked about Hasanur's death, they denied the firing. We have invited them for a flag meeting. Once we have the meeting, we will learn more about the death."
Although it was learnt that there has been no word back from BSF on when or where the meeting might take place.
At about the same time in a different part of the country, BSF shot and killed Muntaj Hossain alias Jahangir, 32, at the Boldiya border in Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga.
The killing was confirmed by a BGB official, who said Muntaj was a cattle trader - hence in BSF's eyes, a cattle smuggler. His body still remains across the border on Indian territory.
The BSF circulated a statement to the media regarding the Chuadanga killing, trying to portray their personnel's discharge of two rounds from his Insas rifle as an self-defence.
It is the first time this year that two Bangladeshis have been killed by BSF in a single day. Ain o Salish Kendra data till September showed that the BSF had killed 18 Bangladeshis till the start of last month in 2022.
The declared aspiration of both countries to bring the contentious issue of border killings i.e. Bangladeshis getting killed by the Indian border force along the over 4096-km international border they share 'down to zero', remains a pipe dream.
BSF kills Bangladeshi cattle trader in Chuadanga, says BGB
Indian border guards shot and killed a Bangladeshi man at Boldiya border in Damurhuda upazila of the Chuadanga district early Sunday.
The killing was confirmed by a Bangladesh Border Guard official.
The Bangladeshi man, said to be a cattle trader, was identified as Muntaj Hossain alias Jahangir, 32, from Boldiay School Para.
Read: 2 Bangladeshi youths killed in BSF firing along Lalmonirhat border
Lt Col Shah Mohammad Istiaq, director of BGB-6 battalion, said that the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) fired around 5am am when Muntaj went to India to bring cattle through border opposite the No 82 main pillar, leaving him dead on the spot.
He said the body is still on the Indian side of the border separated by barbed wire fence.
AHM Lutful Kabir, officer-in-charge of the area's Darshana police station, said they were aware of the matter, but have no details.