Indo-Bangla talks on border killings prove barren
The Bangladesh delegation raised the border killing issue as it claimed over 800 civilians were killed by the BSF - India denied the claim
The second Indo-Bangladesh Security Dialogue 2010 ended in the city yesterday without any proposals being adopted for stopping the killing of innocent Bangladeshis in the border area by the Indian Border Security Force.(The Independent )
The Bangladesh delegation raised the border killing issue as it claimed over 800 civilians were killed by the BSF in the last 10 years.
But India denied the claim saying 'if it was a grave issue, it should be raised at the highest level meeting between the two countries.'
Addressing a press conference after the dialogue, Maj Gen (Retd.) Muniruzzaman, President of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) said: "The Indian delegation claimed that Bangladesh never raised the issue with India that their innocent civilians were killed by the BSF."
Quoting the Indian delegation he said: "Even it was not raised in the joint communiqué issued during prime minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India."
The Indian delegation was not present at the press conference.
Muniruzzaman said that the dialogue held between the premier Indian think tank, the United Services Institution of India (USI) and the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) urged the two sides to cooperate in river basin management and environmental problems.
The dialogue covered a number of security-related issues, including threats of terrorism and radicalisation: implications for Indo-Bangladesh security relations; Indo-Bangladesh maritime security: From confrontation to cooperation; and preserving environmental security: Indo-Bangladesh issues and concerns.
A four-member high level USI delegation was led by Air Marshal (Retd.) Vinod Patney while the BIPSS delegation was led by Maj Gen (Retd.) Muniruzzaman.
The other members of the Indian delegation were Lt Gen Arvind Shanna (Retd.), Sri EN Rammohan- former DG BSF; and Commodore Rajeev Sawhney. The Bangladesh delegation comprised Dr. S Mahmud Ali- Director Research, BIPSS; Rear Admiral Harunur Rashid (Retd.); Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed,-Country Representative IUCN and Mr Shafqat Munir from the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) Singapore. The dialogue recognised that India as the largest country in the South Asian sub-system needed to address the concerns of the overall neighbourhood and that the progress of the region was also closely linked to the progress of India.
The delegates also agreed that the trust deficit that prevails needed to be gradually corrected. The participants at the dialogue also stressed the importance of cooperation on counter-terrorism issues and countering the impact of climate change.
The Bangladeshi delegates recalled the contribution of India to the War of Liberation of Bangladesh and also the historic friendship between the two countries. The delegates of both countries understood that with this spirit of cordial bilateral relations, a number of security problems and contentious bilateral issues could be discussed and resolved. The delegates urged a more progressive bilateral relationship in both the political and economic arenas.
The Bangladesh delegation raised the border killing issue as it claimed over 800 civilians were killed by the BSF in the last 10 years.
But India denied the claim saying 'if it was a grave issue, it should be raised at the highest level meeting between the two countries.'
Addressing a press conference after the dialogue, Maj Gen (Retd.) Muniruzzaman, President of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) said: "The Indian delegation claimed that Bangladesh never raised the issue with India that their innocent civilians were killed by the BSF."
Quoting the Indian delegation he said: "Even it was not raised in the joint communiqué issued during prime minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India."
The Indian delegation was not present at the press conference.
Muniruzzaman said that the dialogue held between the premier Indian think tank, the United Services Institution of India (USI) and the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) urged the two sides to cooperate in river basin management and environmental problems.
The dialogue covered a number of security-related issues, including threats of terrorism and radicalisation: implications for Indo-Bangladesh security relations; Indo-Bangladesh maritime security: From confrontation to cooperation; and preserving environmental security: Indo-Bangladesh issues and concerns.
A four-member high level USI delegation was led by Air Marshal (Retd.) Vinod Patney while the BIPSS delegation was led by Maj Gen (Retd.) Muniruzzaman.
The other members of the Indian delegation were Lt Gen Arvind Shanna (Retd.), Sri EN Rammohan- former DG BSF; and Commodore Rajeev Sawhney. The Bangladesh delegation comprised Dr. S Mahmud Ali- Director Research, BIPSS; Rear Admiral Harunur Rashid (Retd.); Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed,-Country Representative IUCN and Mr Shafqat Munir from the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) Singapore. The dialogue recognised that India as the largest country in the South Asian sub-system needed to address the concerns of the overall neighbourhood and that the progress of the region was also closely linked to the progress of India.
The delegates also agreed that the trust deficit that prevails needed to be gradually corrected. The participants at the dialogue also stressed the importance of cooperation on counter-terrorism issues and countering the impact of climate change.
The Bangladeshi delegates recalled the contribution of India to the War of Liberation of Bangladesh and also the historic friendship between the two countries. The delegates of both countries understood that with this spirit of cordial bilateral relations, a number of security problems and contentious bilateral issues could be discussed and resolved. The delegates urged a more progressive bilateral relationship in both the political and economic arenas.
http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=169708
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