The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

At least 73 Bangladeshi civilians were shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force BSF along the border this year, said Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain yesterday.“I told my counterpart that India is our friendly neighbour. Such huge number of killing of the civilians is unacceptable,” he told reporters at the Foreign Ministry on his return from the Foreign Office Consultations held in the Indian capital on July 17.

Touhid said the Indian side recognized Dhaka’s concern and a mechanism would be worked out at the next Home Secretary level meeting to be held in August to stop the killing along the border. The Foreign Secretary has termed unwarranted the killing of two BDR personnel by Indian BSF in Chapainawabganj Thursday midnight. He said the Foreign Ministry lodged a strong protest against the incident with the Indian government.

Replying to a question, he said there had not been any discussion on the Indian proposal for transit facilities through Bangladesh. Touhid, however, said Bangladesh proposed a new bus route Dhaka-Gwauhati-Shillong and to make Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service viable by reducing the time for immigration clearance. He informed that the two sides agreed on border rivers’ protection and a joint technical committee would meet soon to prepare a common design of the bank protection embankment.

The meeting, he said, discussed issues concerning the trade imbalance, sharing of waters of the common rivers particularly the Teesta, exchange of enclaves, demarcation of the maritime boundary and sharing information on terrorism and bird flu.Replying to a question, the Foreign Secretary said that within one month the remaining quantity of 500,000 metric tons of rice would arrive from India. Besides, he said he requested his counterpart Shiv Shankar Menon to lift restrictions on rice export following good harvest in India.

Touhid said that during the meeting, he also raised the issue of trade deficit of more than US$1.9 billion and demanded removal of barriers to Bangladesh exports to Indian market. Menon assured that he would convey Dhaka’s concern to the Ministry of Commerce. On the other hand, Indian BSF killed yet another Bangladeshi national at Raghunathpur border Saturday morning in its aggressive posture with order to shoot at sight after sunset.The body of unidentified man in his late 20s was found lying in the field along the border. Villagers said BSF men crossed the border and left the body in the field in the morning.

BSF shot dead two BDR personnel in Chapainawabganj border Thursday night and two traders in Jessore border on Friday.

Reports from across the border said BSF whipped up tension along the border by ordering its troops to shoot at sight after sunset.

Omar Sharif, officer of Benapole Port police station said the body of unknown victim bore marks of multiple wounds.Touhid called on Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukerjee on July 18. The Indian Minister hoped that cooperation in different fields between the two countries would increase.

Meanwhile, a four-day border conference between Bangladesh and India will be held today in Kolkata to discuss a long list of issues between the two next-door neighbours, including the latest irritant.The agenda of the border talks include the killing of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troops by Indian Border Security Force (BSF)--the latest incident of shooting down of two took place only two days back. Firing, killing or injuring innocent Bangladeshis by BSF and Indian nationals, “unprovoked” firing by the Indian border guards in the frontier areas, preventing intrusion, smuggling explosive and narcotic substances, delay in taking back Indian nationals who serve jail terms in Bangladesh, digging earth by Indian side within 150 yards of the No Man’s Land and renovation of proposed roads without the permission of BDR, and BSF’s lack of response about coordinated patrol are also to be discussed, an official release said yesterday. The BSF side is also expected to place some issues for discussion. These are: committing trans-border crimes by Bangladeshi nationals/criminals into Indian area, lifting cattle, abduction, damaging tea garden and violating barbed-wire border fencing, attacking BSF and Indian citizens by Bangladeshis, illegally grazing cattle-heads and cultivating Indian lands, preventing development works within 150 yards of border by the BDR and alleged backing to Indian separatists by the Bangladeshis.

BDR Deputy Director General Brigadier General MA Bari will lead the 12-member Bangladesh team.

Rajshahi, Khulna, Dinajpur, Kushtia and Rangpur sector commanders and officials concerned in the BDR Headquarters will participate in the top-level conference.

Inspector General of North Bengal Frontier SCV Muralidhar will lead a 16-member host side at the meet.