On October 7, 2012 at around 7:30am Mohammad Setaur Rahman (54) and Mohammad Abu Sayem (33), both sons of late Mohammad Ilias Uddin and late Mosammot Golmahata Begum of Unishbighi village of Shibganj Upazila in Chapainawabganj district along with Mohammad Saidul Islam (35) son of Mohammad Farzan Ali and Mosammot Hanefa Begum were plucking weeds in a paddy field adjacent to the border when officials of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) entered Bangladesh through Unishbighi border and shot at Setaur, Abu Sayem and Saidul, wounding them in the process, their families claimed.
Mohammad Abu Sayem and Setaur Rahman are brothers and farmers by profession. Their land is 50 yards to the west of border pillar 182/3. When they were cleaning the weeds in the field, around 7/8 BSF officials of 20th battalion of Naoda BSF camp in Maldah district of India suddenly entered through the Bangladesh border. They spotted Setaur, Sayem and Saidul and wanted to take them to the Indian territory and detain them. At that time suddenly the BSF
officials shot at them due to which they got wounded.
Odhikar’s view:
Odhikar expresses grave concern over the firing on farmers Abu Sayem, Setaur and Saidul by BSF officials. Bangladeshi citizens live in constant insecurity and risk at the Bangladesh-India border. Odhikar demands that the government send an official protest to the Indian government regarding the shooting of Abu Sayem, Setaur and Saidul by BSF officials and arrange for their proper treatment. Odhikar believes that it is because of weak foreign policy of the government that the people residing near the border are regularly being subject to torture, killing and kidnapping. Odhikar again urges the government to take a firm stance to protect the Bangladeshi citizens living in the border regions.
fact-finding-border violence-Setaur Sayem Saidul-2012-eng (full text in English, PDF)
fact-finding-border violence-Setaur Sayem Saidul-2012-ben (full text in Bangla, PDF)
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