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Continuing Instances of the Big Brother's Furies
The latest of BSF (Border Security Force of India) intrusion into Bangladesh territory in the northern area at Panchagarh and taking three human lives including a sleeping children at dead of 10 P.M. night on the 17th November though nothing uncommon is a typical of what such inhuman and barbarous killings they have been perpetrating on and on since decades. At some instances apologies are made, flag meetings or full representative meetings between the BSF and the BDR (Bangladesh Rifles), engaged to keep international border secure, are held ending in vague promises not to go for excesses by any side, but unfortunately the fact remained that the BSF more often than not continue to make excesses and killings of innocent children of Bangladesh in their operations as the 17th November one was all about.
It may be worthwhile to recall back some of the inhuman acts perpetrated recently not all on their own folly or egoism but having had signs of aggressive intentions of their government realized through the BSF operations of various manifestations.
The geographical Vulnerability:
The geographical shape and existence of Bangladesh though has a long historic past for centuries, the shape and size of it as of now in the post 1971 period remains exactly what the people of this land area had curved out in 1947, the year and time the British had left off giving independence from the colonial rule. Some self-seeking leaders based then at Kolkata by conspiring and denying the whole Bengal and Assam out of the clutches of post 1947 India made Bangladesh's geographical vulnerability an unfortunate reality. Even so, being together with West Pakistan, the geographical vulnerability had not been as acute as the Big Brother had constantly to care for any thrust from their side. The 1971 episode and the resulting independence of Bangladesh established in the soil and geographical locality of East Pakistan made things different. The position of sovereign equality that provided mutual respectability withered away into what is the current position not only of vulnerability of the small brother in 'truncated and moth-eaten' geographical entity but also to big brotherly dominance and small brotherly helplessness.
Difficulties for Bangladesh in preserving the 4,156 km border with India:
The BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) of Bangladesh just as the previous EPR has been engaged to preserve and secure the land and river border of 4,156 km (Land 3,976, river 180 km) with India, and merely 271 with Myanmar (land 208 km and river 63 km) (Bangladesh Defence Journal, September, p.22). India has their BSF (Border Security Forces) on the other side of the common border. However, encounters and shootings, wounding and killing by the BSF men of BDR are almost everyday matter. Similarly, civilians are also being kidnapped, wounded and killed in one pretext or the other. The amazing aspect of all such untoward incidents is that being Big Brother they normally show arrogance in all such happenings.
All time upgrading of the BSF for creating fear psychosis in Bangladesh:
Compared to India Bangladesh is a tiny entity not only in geographical area but also in all matters. It is as such only natural that India has no worry for its defense, much less the defense of its border with India by the much bigger BSF. Even so, she has lately been upgrading the BSF with latest Israeli Arms like (1) Super Rifle, (2) Assault Rifle, ( 3) M 16 Assault Rifle, (4) MPG-1 Sniper Rifle (5) MP-5 Sub Machine Gun. They are also bringing Targetory Instrument, Laser Crowdy Night Vision (Ibid, 2008, p. 19).
One must wonder, do they need so much of strengthening of the BSF? Why? To face up to the BDR? Or to keep there all time fear psyche not only among the BDR but also among the border area people?
New intelligence unit of India working inside Bangladesh:
According a report published in the above quoted publication, it is known that a new intelligence unit of India has been working inside Bangladesh, in addition, not only recently but also during the post 1947 period their central and powerful intelligence agency, R&AW to sift out almost everything of State secret matters. The agency is known as the Trans Frontier Intelligence Agency or in abbreviated as TIA (Ibid, p.19). They have been collecting information about the Bangladesh Army and BDR to boost up the morale of the BSF.
Anti-Bangladesh organizations working inside India:
There had been anti- East Pakistan elements and organizations based mainly in Kolkata and Agartala in pre 1971 days. But the immediate post 1971 period scarcely had any such for the fact and expectation of the Bengali people there that the 1971 war would do way with the 'artificial border' and so until 1975 there activities were almost nothing. But as soon as the 1975 August revolution that followed the decisive 7 November revolution of Bangladesh got the overwhelming people's support and success, the Indians started to view new Bangladesh with a quite different attitude. And so they started many organizations to humble Bangladesh.
The first of the anti-Bangladesh movement started to work on the 15th August 1977, the second anniversary of Sheikh Mujib's death, pioneered by Chitta Ranjan Sutar, former Awami League M.P. who since after 1971 not only stayed back in Kolkata but also at times met the Indian P.M. Indira Gandhi to fully annex Bangladesh into Indian union. Indira did tell him that that was not feasible right then. That is why he stayed back and waited for the opportune moment. Mujib's fall from power in Dhaka gave Sutar an opportunity. The Bangabhumi Movement was Sutar's brainchild who initiated the movement as a launching ground not only to curve out about one thirds of the western Bangladesh but continue to put pressure against Bangladesh. To put inertia and add to the strength of the movement Sutar had Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Mujib then in exile in India attended the first meeting as that happened to be her father's second death anniversary (M.T.Hussain, Daily Dinkal, Dhaka,15th August 2008). The plea for the Bangabhumi was advanced by Sutar for resettling the displaced Hindus of post 1947 and post Bangladesh period.
Keeping with Sutar's strategy several other organizations have been organized there. They are (1) Liberation Tigers of Bangladesh, (2) Hindu Republic of Birbango etc. These organizations have their cultural and in some cases armed units aiming to materialize goals of the main political organizations. They are (1) Nikhil Banga Nagarik Sangha (All Bengal Citizens Organization), (2) All India Refuge Front, (3) Bangladesh Udbastu Kallyan Parishad (Bangladesh Refugee Welfare Council), (4) Bangladesh Udbashtu Unnayan Sangshad (5) Hindu Bangali Gano Parishad, etc. Other known leaders are Kalidas Baidya of Bongosena and Sukumar Guhothakurha of Hindu Republic of Birbongo Movement.
These front organizations issues and distributes leaflets, posters etc. not only there in West Bengal and Tripura but also inside Bangladesh. They have their workers and contact fifth columnists here inside Bangladesh.
While the facts are that anti-Bangladesh groups have been working from inside Indian Territory, possibly with full knowledge and connivance of Delhi and Kolkata, they have been blaming Bangladesh to give shelter to anti-Indian elements stationed inside Bangladesh. Could that be believable for Bangladesh is a much smaller and vulnerable entity?
Push in of poor Indian Bengali Muslims into Bangladesh:
It is not only that the poor and vulnerable Muslims of India are being ill-treated in all rights there from education to employment, business and vocations. In addition, many such are driven out from India and pushed into Bangladesh through the border areas. The recent torture, annihilation, destruction and burning down of homesteads and killing of Bengali speaking Muslims of Assam have been well known and had media attention all over the world. According to a reliable statistics, the push in attempts by the BSF from 2003 to July 2008 recorded at 211 and persons pushed into Bangladesh had a figure of 3,448. In three months from February 2008 to April 2008, the BSF attempted 2 push in, and persons pushed in stood at 13.
Should not the Bangladeshis ask where has their love of 1971 gone and withered away?
Bangladeshis killed and injured by BSF:
Random shooting at and killing of simple minded and poor Bangladeshis is almost a routine matter of the Indian BSF. The reasons advanced for such killings by the BSF are that they had been either 'intruders' or 'smugglers', hardly substantiated by facts. During the period five years and a half from 2003 to July 2008 the BSF killed 335 Bangladeshis and injured by shooting 228. Along with the BSF, the Indian civilians as well joined hands in killing and injuring Bangladeshis in the border areas. Such killing and injuring of Bangladeshis by Indian civilians stood at 66 and 67 respectively during the same period of five years and a half. The same source recorded that from February to April 2008, 20 persons were killed and 19 injured in three months; and from May to July 19 killed including 2 BDR personnel and injured 17 during another three months.
In another report published in the above journal issue that was jointly compiled by Maj (R) Ashrafuzzaman, Maj (R) Khalil Bin Wahid and Maj (MAJ Wadud Didar recorded additional figures and facts about abductions (675), arrests (513), missing (82, rape (10) and looting (61) by the BSF during 2000 to July 2008. Previous to the period from 1990 to 1999 a total of 206 had been killed and 158 injured) (Ibid, p.23).
Encounters between the BSF and the BDR in the border area are almost regular matters. The recent killing of BDR's Havildar Abdul Hannan and of Lance Naik Krishna Pada Das are well on record (Ibid, p.24).
At times the BSF men enters deep into Bangladesh territory, kill any one they wish to, even children not spared in their fury, and at times, take away dead body/s making issues not to return dead body/s for burial by relatives here in Bangladesh.
It is not correct to say though that no Indians have been killed and injured in encounters, but the fact remained that Indian sides engage themselves almost all the time in aggressive and egoistic attitudes for their claim in attaining the position of Big Brother in 1971 thus tending to care or respect very little the dignity of the people of Bangladesh, much less the sovereign equality of Bangladesh.
Clandestine intrusion of arms and ammunitions for destabilizing Bangladesh:
Since the Big Brother has not been able as yet fully grab Bangladesh, and there is no possibility to contain Bangladesh's independent entity n the foreseeable future, they have engaged themselves in as many front as possible to humble and destabilize the smaller neighbor. Because, as well known, they have already humbled and grabbed many smaller neighbors in the past. One of the destabilizing tactics is the smuggling of arms and handing them over to the fifth columnists for all sorts of terrorizing and anti-social activities. The Bangladesh law enforcing agencies have been continually apprehending many miscreants for smuggling of arms and ammunitions made in the India Explosives Ltd, Gomia, Jharkhand. During the period of one year from August 2007 to July 2008, arms and ammunitions in the process of smuggling have been caught by the Bangladesh law enforcing agencies stood as follows:
1. Rifle 03 6 Bomb/Shell 06
2. Gun 69 7. Detonator 16
4. Pistol 10. 8. Ammunitions 39,585
3. Revolver 09 9. Explosives 09
5. Hand Grenade 01 10. Air Gun 24
The above figures can not be all of everything arms and ammunitions attempted to be smuggled to Bangladesh, but are part of the whole, because, many smugglers and miscreants remained out of the reach of the BDR etc. They have their contact persons stationed here and in other side of the border. Many notorious miscreants and listed top criminals of particular political shade maintain permanent sanctuaries in Kolkata and other places in India. Some maintain carefree luxurious lives there and still now extracting tolls through their contact men criminals inside big cities and towns of Bangladesh and yet have political patronage not only from insiders of India but also some of Bangladesh, as well.
Trafficking of Women and Children from Bangladesh:
Poverty and destitution of millions of common people coupled with recent moral erosion in the society have found some outlet in trafficking of women and young girl children from Bangladesh to other countries. In all such cases, however, the obvious route is India's province of West Bengal and Tripura. One recent report by the Indian NDTV figured out that nearly one third of prostitutes in the cities of Chennai, Bombay and Delhi were of Bangladesh origin. They did not go there through any official channel but through illegal trafficking. Such illegal traffickers are caught now and then but not all for lapses of various natures including of the smartness of the parties concerned and lapses of the law enforcing agencies. In about five and a half years between 2003 and July 2008 such apprehended traffickers were 93; women and children rescued from attempted trafficking from them during the period stood at 183 and 155 respectively. The trend of increase of numbers of women and children being trafficked was on the rise respectively from14 in the year 2003 to 39 in 2008, and from 06 in 2003 to 62 in 2008) and so was the rise of number arrested traffickers from 33 in the year 2003 to 122 in 2008 (Ibid, p. 27). The figures clearly prove that despite arrests of traffickers, the trafficking business is on the increase having some ups and downs at times depending on rigorousness or looseness of the law enforcing agencies conditioned by other factors including payment by traffickers and receipt of cash payments by some law enforcing agencies.
Cross-border smuggling of Narcotics, Sarees etc.:
Cross–border smuggling is nothing unusual between countries having common international border. But the quantum depends on nature of states, economy and culture. So far as Bangladesh and Indian cross border smuggling is concerned, Bangladesh being vulnerable in many matters, adverse effects on the economy of Bangladesh for cross border smuggling is larger than India's bigger size of the economy. During pre-1971 period, however, the effects had been the opposite for the then East Pakistan had a stronger economy than that existed on the other side of the international border. Not only this, the people of this region would take little interest in smuggling for two reasons, one, for being economically better off and two for having had common anti-Indian psyche. Thus smuggling of whatever magnitude that had been then did not harm the economy; things have turned opposite since 1971 and so the harm due to smuggling of massive nature has been severe on the Bangladesh economy.
Smuggled in and out goods vary in their utility and cost. Items like for example Phensidile or a brand of cheaper alcoholic dink is a common item smuggled into Bangladesh from India. This single item of crores of Taka so spent for buying Phensidile, Indian made cheaper alcoholic drink, not only cause moral erosion of our younger generation but also add to burden of the society for their so going astray. On the contrary, items like edible or fuel oil smuggled out of Bangladesh into India affects Bangladesh economy in terms of foreign exchange, because both items are bought by Bangladesh in hard foreign currency.
According to figures given in the above journal, Bangladesh continued to make losses on account of smuggling of hundreds of crores Taka each year rising from 230 crores in the year 2003 never falling in any year below 200 crores until in 2008 at 127 crores ( Ibid, p.27). Narcotics of various forms are another item of many injurious goods smuggled into Bangladesh almost each day out and in. They are like Gaja, Heroin, Cocaine, Opium, Hashish (Ibid, p.20), etc. in addition to the well known Phensidile in huge quantities. They are marketed here at random having no regard to law of the land not only for windfall profit making though clandestine business but also aimed at breaking down the moral fabrics of this highly ethical and moral nation dominated by lofty Islamic values and high moral system. There are as many as 21 Phensidile producers in and around Kolkata having 304 outlet or wholesale shops that supply the cheap alcoholic bottled drink to Bangladesh through many illegal routes and contacts. Thousands of unemployed youths are known to be addicted injuriously with all these cheaper alcoholic drinks and narcotics in Bangladesh.
Another illegal item smuggled in huge number is Indian Saree or women's apparel that has little market in Bangladesh, because, Bangladesh produces all grades of sarees from the finest costly ones to cheaper ones for the poor women. They are so smuggled not for profit making at the moment but for dumping Bangladesh market for future control and gains at the cost of local industries and products. The BDR, at times, apprehends many such smugglers but many other slip out of their hands.
Border Fencing yet no surrender of the Corridor for Dahagram and Angorpota in return for the Berubari enclave.
The Big Brother was so magnanimous in 1971 war, but soon turned unfriendly if not hostile. In 1973 Berubari, an integral part of Bangladesh territory was transferred to Indian control through mutual agreement of the two Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh providing in the agreement in return of the Three Bigha corridor through Indian territory in the northern flank of Bangladesh territory to enter for all time n in perpetuity into the two Bangladeshi enclaves, Dahagram and Angor pota. The agreement was duly passed immediately in the Bangladesh Parliament. Unfortunately India did not do that and not as yet in 35 years. Why? Is that so that an agreement with an unequal partner is of no significance?
The unfriendly common border control by India has been extended to erecting barbed wire fences all along the international border to further increase fear psychosis among the people living in the rural areas along the international borders and also their hegemonic bigness against Bangladesh.
Talpatti Island of Bangladesh and its forcible occupation by India:
In the west location of Bangladesh's Bay of Bengal, just adjacent to the mangrove forest of the Sunderban, and along the Hariabhanga river meeting the sea in the south, there is what is known as the Talpatti Island of Bangladesh. India claimed the same island as their East More (M R Islam, The Ganges Water Dispute: Its International legal Aspect, UPL, Dhaka-1987, p.172). President Zia ventured in 1981 to free the island from the adverse possession of Indian Navy. Unfortunately he was assassinated in May 1981. Many had a genuine hunch that the Talpatti venture cost President Zia's life in the hands of the Indian secret service R&AW operatives. The recently held maritime boundary meeting with India held after three decades had nothing positive outcome in matters of the Talpatti Island.
The Continuing River Water Sharing Dispute:
The ever boggling issue of border disputes and non-settlement of many other outstanding ones by the Big Brother can not rightly be appreciated, much less clearly evaluated, having had no reference to the overall past historical experience and, for instance, of the natural river water flow obstructions made by India at the upstream of common 53 rivers of Bangladesh. Unless and until India changes her Big Brotherly attitudes to Bangladesh and starts to respect sovereign equality of Bangladesh and fulfils her commitments lawfully made time and again, there is hardly any scope for peaceful co-existence, albeit, at the most disadvantage of smaller Bangladesh.
The latest fury and killings of the three innocent civilians at the Panchgarh area on the 17th November are not the end of everything but clearly part of their designs to keep on creating not only fear psychosis here and thus humble down Bangladesh but also in their frenzy to show disrespect for innocent human lives and for sovereign equality of the smaller neighbor. The ball of respect for innocent human lives and for sovereign equality certainly lies in the court of India.
Dr. M.T. Hussain
18 November 2008
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