Human Rights Watch, the international human rights organisation based in the United States, described the shooting of Bangladeshi civilians by the Indian border force as a ‘de facto shoot to kill’ policy for which there was no justification.
At the launch of its report, ‘Trigger happy: Excessive use of force by Indian troops in the Bangladesh border’, the organisation urged the Bangladesh government to press the Indian authorities to bring the shootings to an end and be part of a process along with the Indian government in making accountable those responsible for the killings.
Human Rights Watch also urged Bangladesh’s National Human Rights Commission to join force with the NHRC in India to investigate the civilian killings by the Indian Border Security Force.
‘No BSF man has ever been convicted by the Indian authorities for any of the killings although there were about 1,000 recorded deaths of Bangladesh civilians in the last ten years,’ said Phil Robertson, the HRW Asia Division deputy director.
‘The BSF claims they have killed the men in self-defence, but no weopons or explosives are ever found on the men,’ he said.
The function was organised to present the report which the human rights organisation had prepared jointly with Odhikar, a Dhaka-based human rights group, and West Bengal-based Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha.
The report highlights the high number of deaths of both Bangladeshi and Indian civilians at the hands of the Indian border guards.
In 2009, Odhikar had identified 97 deaths of Bangladeshi civilians on the border. So far in 2010, the number is 69.
The 81-page report documents the situation in the border region where the two countries deploy border guards to prevent infiltration, trafficking and smuggling.
The report is based on more than 100 interviews with victims, witnesses, human rights defenders, journalists, and Indian Border Security Force and Bangladesh Rifles personnel.
Addressing the function, Dhaka University professor Asif Nazrul said the Bangladesh government should vigorously protect the right to life of its citizens, including those who may be involved in illegal activities, and called on the Indian government to exercise restraints.
