Bangladesh Accuses BSF Of Border Killings, Calls Them ‘Human Rights Violation’

Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday told parliament that alleged killings along the India–Bangladesh frontier by the Border Security Force (BSF) amount to a “clear violation of human rights” , intensifying diplomatic tensions between the two neighbours.

Ahmed said the matter was strongly raised by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) during recently concluded Director General-level talks in New Delhi , where both sides discussed border killings, smuggling, trafficking, and illegal crossings.

“The killing of innocent Bangladeshi nationals by the BSF is extremely regrettable and constitutes a clear violation of human rights,” Ahmed told parliament, adding that Dhaka has repeatedly objected to the use of lethal force and demanded accountability and compensation.

He further said Bangladesh has consistently protested BSF’s alleged use of lethal weapons under the pretext of “self-defence” , stating that such incidents continue despite assurances to use non-lethal methods.

Ahmed also raised concerns over alleged “push-in operations” , saying BGB has stopped 36 such attempts since recent political developments in West Bengal. He claimed that 2,369 people were pushed into Bangladesh since August 5, 2024 , of whom most were handed over to police stations, while others were returned or pushed back.

India maintains that BSF actions occur in response to cross-border crimes such as smuggling, trafficking, and illegal entry, and are carried out under operational necessity along the 4,096-km-long shared border .

Ahmed added that cooperation between BGB and BSF has improved, with increased night patrols in sensitive areas and quicker flag meetings between border commanders to prevent escalation.

He also referred to a recent diplomatic incident involving Bangladesh’s Prime Minister adviser, saying he was “questioned for over two hours” at New Delhi airport before returning home, calling it deeply disappointing.