Trespass into Bangladesh territory by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has caused terrible human rights violations at the border areas in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi people are killed, injured, abducted, arrested by BSF. It has also been alleged that acts of rape and mugging have been perpetrated by BSF at the border areas. Continuous attacks on the Bangladeshi people living near the India-Bangladesh border area is hampering normal life there. From 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006, that is, last 7 years total 607 Bangladeshis have been reportedly killed inside the Bangladesh territory by members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and armed Indian hoodlums. Among them 512 were killed by BSF alone. Odhikar prepared this report on the basis of its own fact-findings and newspaper reports published in major national dailies.
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By analyzing the findings, Odhikar understands that the attitudes of BSF are more aggressive in the North and South West part of the border areas of India-Bangladesh border. Most of the victims who were killed by BSF and Indian miscreants were poor farmers. They were gunned down while working on their land and in most of the cases BSF took the dead body to India and in some cases after abduction the ill-fated Bangladeshis were killed.
According to Odhikar’s report it is mentioned that from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006 that in the last 7 years total 607 Bangladeshis were killed, 663 were injured, 514 arrested, 705 abducted, 83 people including 8 children went missing, 10 women were reportedly raped, while 61 incidents of snatching and looting occurred by BSF and Indian hoodlums.
In the year 2006 from 1 January to 31 December total 146 Bangladeshi were killed. Moreover, 144 were injured, 21 were arrested, 165 were abducted, 32 went missing, 2 women were reportedly raped and 9 incidents of snatching and looting occurred by BSF and the Indian miscreants were reported.
In 2005 from 1 January to 31 December, 104 people were killed, 66 were injured, 26 were arrested, 78 were abducted ,14 were missing, 3 women were reportedly raped and 4 incidents of snatching and looting were happened.
In 2004 from 1 January to 31 December, 76 people were killed by BSF and Indian miscreants. During the same period, 35 people were injured, 9 were arrested and 73 were abducted while 5 incidents of snatching took place.
In the year 2003 from 1 January to 31 December BSF and Indian miscreants were responsible for 43 deaths, 82 injuries, 21 arrests, 120 abductions, 7 missing, 2 reported rapes and 8 incidents of snatching.
In 2002 from 1 January to 31 December, 105 people were killed by BSF and Indian miscreants. At the same period, 54 people were injured, 30 people including 8 children went missing, 366 were arrested and 118 were abducted while 12 incidents of snatching took place by BSF and Indian hoodlums.
In the year 2001 from 1 January to 31 December, 94 Bangladeshi citizens were killed, 244 were injured, 60 were arrested, 45 were abducted and 1 woman was violated. Ten incidents of snatching took place during the same period.
In the year 2000 from 1 January to 31 December, 39 Bangladeshi citizens were killed, 38 were injured, 11 were arrested, 106 were abducted, 2 women were the victims of rape. Thirteen incidents of snatching took place during the same period.
Odhikar demands an international investigation and exemplary punishment of the perpetrators involved in such killing, abduction, rape, snatching, push in at India- Bangladesh border area. Odhikar also urges the respective Governments of Bangladesh and India to take appropriate steps to stop killing of Bangladeshis by BSF and Indian miscreants.
