BSF acts doesn't help India
India has pledged to stop killing innocent Bangladeshis at the border. This assurance came from Indian External affairs minister SM Krishna during a meeting with our foreign minister Dipu Moni on Feb.7.Both were attending 2-day Saarc council of ministers meeting in Thimpu, Bhutan.We welcome the assurance. But quickly say assurances and pledges came many times before, although nothing tangible happened. Killings continued.
For Bangladesh India has been an important ally in the region and active economic partner. India played a key role in assisting us during the war of liberation in 1971.India sheltered 10 million refugees during the war time. Indian soldiers fought alongside our liberation army. India and Bhutan were the first countries to recognize Bangladesh as an independent nation.
Bangabondhu's first foreign visit as Prime Minister was to India and it was then decided Indo-Bangladesh relations would be guided by principles of democracy, socialism, nonalignment and opposition to colonialism and racism. Indira Gandhi too visited Bangladesh in 1972 and assured that India would never interfere in the internal affairs of the country. In 1972, both the countries signed a 'Treaty of Friendship and Peace'. An Indo-Bangladesh Trade Pact was also signed.
Then on, India has been playing a big role in our socio-political and economic life. She has been deeply involved in Bangladesh's trade and commerce, culture and education. There's huge trade imbalance between the two, in favor of India. There have been imbalances in other areas as well. But by and large things have gone on well and people of two countries are getting along with whatever patience possible to muster. But somewhere down the line we feel ourselves at the receiving end. India's Bangladesh policy has been confusing at best. There are still plenty of areas which need repairs and massive improvement. This both Bangladesh and India should dig into.
Trade and visa complexity aside, the principle concern has been the indiscriminate killings of Bangladeshis at the borders by the BSF. BSF is committing murders at will. We have had many flag meetings including meetings of top government officials, where the border killing issues came up for discussion. Indian side would assure us that this will stop immediately. NOTHING happened. It shows that these issues had little or no imprint on them. How could they go on ignoring our plight?
We keep quiet about the cultural invasion that has been taking place, we don't raise our voice regarding not airing our programs on their TV channels etc., we don't talk much about the water issues these days, we don't demand the territorial disputes to be resolved, we don't push ourselves for more trading opportunities in Indian market.
Poor Felani must be mentioned. Felani now has become a symbol of tragedy, of tears, of barbarity. The trigger happy soldiers of BSF cared less for this hapless girl. They destroyed a family, and most of all they have put the very relationship of the two countries on the wires (great test.).Our mutual trust hangs in balance as the Felani's body hung from the barbed wire fence.
One wonders as to what prompts the BSF to resort to killings in the first place. BSF kills with such impunity along India's 4,100-kilometre (2,550-mile) border with Bangladesh that it fails all senses. According to Human Rights Watch, India's force has killed almost 1,000 Bangladeshis over the past ten years, that is a shooting every four days. Many who attempted to cross borders between two Germanys during the Cold War were killed but the death toll is much less than killings in our borders by the BSF.
These unwarranted murders will not help improve our relations. India should understand our feeling and take serious measures to stop these killings. What would have happened in India if Bangladesh did the same to Indian nationals? Or if Indians killed any Chinese or Pakistani nationals? How would these countries react? Each time a killing causes genuine outrage in Bangladesh. The upcoming visit of the Indian premier to Bangladesh will fail to create a good feeling in our minds.
Some in India though expressed fear and grief over the killings of Bangladeshis by the BSF. Some called it callous and high-handed. Some condemned it. Reports also have that Indian government initiated enquiry into the recent killings.
Let's look at the scenario at the border. Why in the first place there is the illegal border crossing practice? Reports have it; the lure to work in India attracts the poor Bangladeshis to risk their lives in crossing into India. It is now a regular practice in the upper middle class Indians to hire Bangladeshis to work as maids and as casual labors. These employers get them in much cheaper price and promise them better living. These employers have agents who work for them against good emoluments. More interesting is other reason..."Politicians in border states, most notably in the Communist-run state of West Bengal, have been only too willing to provide illegal immigrants from Bangladesh with ration cards to enable them access to the state-subsidized public food distribution system. The acquisition of a ration card is usually the first step toward acquiring citizenship and thereby voting rights. Since the immigrants are generally poor and vulnerable, they are more than likely to vote for those who enabled them to change their status..."
Given the complexity and seriousness of these issues (of killings and illegal border crossing) both India and Bangladesh need to address these forthrightly and not resort to pointless mutual recriminations. Apart from these, a major area of contention has been the construction and operation of the Farakka Barrage by India to increase water supply in the river Hoogly. Bangladesh is yet to receive a fair share of the Ganges waters during the dry seasons, there have also been disputes regarding the transfer of Teen Bigha Corridor to Bangladesh. Part of Bangladesh is surrounded by the Indian state of West Bengal. On 26 June 1992, India leased three bigha land to Bangladesh to connect this enclave with mainland Bangladesh. There is dispute regarding the indefinite nature of the lease. Militants in both countries like Banga Sena and Harkat-ul-Jihad also remains in the list. Recently India and Bangladesh had agreed to fight terrorism jointly.
Only inking of treaties and deals won't be enough. Government to government friendship will not suffice. The people at large expect proper treatment from the bigger neighbor. India needs us for her journey towards the greater world. She needs friendly neighbors to make the subcontinent a peaceful region and India solvent.
The writer Mohammad Ali Sattar is an Assistant Editor, The Daily Star.
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