Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) strongly condemned border killings, expressing deep concern over "repeated violations of international law and bilateral agreements".
At least three Bangladeshis have been killed by Border Security Force (BSF) this month alone, according to NCP statement.
BSF shot and seriously injured 24-year-old Bangladeshi youth Hasibul Alam on Wednesday afternoon, April 17, at Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat district.
BSF took critically injured Alam away, who later died at Cooch Behar hospital in India.
This follows another incident on April 11 when BSF beat 35-year-old Wasim Hossain to death at Paliyanpur border in Jhenaidah district, throwing his body into nearby river.
"Bangladeshi youths have been actively engaged in political and cultural movements protesting such border killings during the formation of July uprising," said in press release signed by Saleh Uddin Sifat, joint-member secretary (office).
They said, "However, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh's foreign policy have failed to take effective action."
NCP has called upon interim government and future administrations to ensure safety of citizens in border districts.
Party demands initiatives "beyond Dhaka-centric policies" to improve living standards in border regions, where shared boundary with India creates ongoing tensions.
According to Human Rights Watch, BSF killed over one thousand Bangladeshi citizens since 2000. Bangladeshi human rights group Odhikar reported that between 2009 and 2017, BSF killed 403 Bangladeshis (269 were shot, 109 were tortured to death and 25 were killed in other ways). During this time, 593 people were also injured and 468 were abducted.
Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told Parliament that 294 Bangladeshis were killed by the BSF between 2009 and 2018.
One of the most well-known cases was in 2011, when the BSF shot and killed 15-year-old Felani Khatun while she was trying to cross the border.
NRE/SH
