🇧🇩-Land Atrocities of BSF (3 Viewers)

[Saif]

The BSF terrorists killed another Bangladeshi at the border on 26th March.

 

[Aestas Vivax]

These BSF b*stards have crossed their limits. The home ministry should give shoot at sight order to kill BSF goons.

India should have let Pakistan finish it's job in 71.

 

[Saif]

Bangladeshi teenager shot dead by BSF along Lalmonirhat border

A Bangladeshi teenager was shot dead by members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along Durgapur border in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district on Tuesday night.The deceased was identified as Liton Mia, 19, son of Mokchedul Islam of Dighaltari area of Durgapur union of the upazila.Liton

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladeshi teenager shot dead by BSF along Lalmonirhat border​

UNB

Published :​

Mar 27, 2024 21:09

Updated :​

Mar 27, 2024 21:09

A Bangladeshi teenager was shot dead by members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along Durgapur border in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district on Tuesday night.

The deceased was identified as Liton Mia, 19, son of Mokchedul Islam of Dighaltari area of Durgapur union of the upazila.

Liton died around 11:00 pm while undergoing treatment at a hospital in India's Cooch Behar, said Lt. Col. Mofazzal Hossain Akand, captain of the 15th Battalion of the BGB in Lalmonirhat.

A flag meeting was held between the BGB and the BSF near main pillar number 923 of Durgapur border of the upazila at 11:30 am on Wednesday, he said.

The process of bringing back the body of the Bangladeshi is underway, added the officer.

Earlier, the BSF troops opened fire on a group of Bangladeshis while they were trying to bring cattle through the main pillar number 923 of the border area, leaving Yusuf seriously injured.

Later, the BSF personnel took him to MJN Medical College & Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.​

 

[Saif]

India should have let Pakistan finish it's job in 71.

India didn't save us from Pakistan in 1971. We fought alone for 9 months(from 25th March to 3rd December) and the Indian army was nowhere to be seen until December 3rd when they moved in East Pakistan. It is the Indian army who saved the Pakistanis from Mukti bahini by sending the Pakistani prisoners of war to India. Learn the history first before you shoot off your mouth.

 

[Aestas Vivax]

India didn't save us from Pakistan in 1971. We fought alone for 9 months(from 25th March to 3rd December) and the Indian army was nowhere to be seen until December 3rd when they moved in East Pakistan. It is the Indian army who saved the Pakistanis from Mukti bahini by sending the Pakistani prisoners of war to India. Learn the history first before you shoot off your mouth.

Lmao, without BSF arming and training Mukti Bahini, it would not be able to do a thing, and would have been crushed, just like how Pakistan crushed the Sindh issue.

You should learn history first before lecturing me.

 

[Saif]

Lmao, without BSF arming and training Mukti Bahini, it would not be able to do a thing, and would have been crushed, just like how Pakistan crushed the Sindh issue.

You should learn history first before lecturing me.

Don't talk rubbish! You mean to say a paramilitary force, BSF, armed and trained Mukti Bahini against one of the most professional armies in Asia( Pakistan army)? What sorts of training and weapons did BSF had at that time? Were they trained and armed like a professional army? BSF was a paramilitary force who were trained and armed to policing the border. They were not trained or armed like an army. So their training and weapons were not needed by the Mukti bahini. Never dare lecturing me about Bangladesh's history, Okay?

 

[Aestas Vivax]

Don't talk rubbish! You mean to say a paramilitary force, BSF, armed and trained Mukti Bahini against one of the most professional armies in Asia( Pakistan army)? What sorts of training and weapons did BSF had at that time? Were they trained and armed like a professional army? BSF was a paramilitary force who were trained and armed to policing the border. They were not trained or armed like an army. So their training and weapons were not needed by the Mukti bahini. Never dare lecturing me about Bangladesh's history, Okay?

Looks like the heavy madrasa education set up by the traitors who killed Mujib has deeply left you misinformed.

I would even say BSF is on par with the Pakistani Army, armed to fight them off till heavy reinforcements from the Army would arrive. Your lack of knowledge about BSF speaks volumes as you spread venom of this capable force.

BSF supplied weapons to Mukti Bahini, trained their cadres, crossed into East Pakistan, facilitated important meetings between Awami League and Indian Government leaders, blew up critical infrastructure to aid in your liberation.

If you think you liberated yourself, you are mistaken. Why did it take till India moved into the war that the Pakistanis left. Even the Americans wanted you dead.

If Mukti Bahini was left by itself, the Pakistanis would have crushed it, and continued it's rule of East Pakistan.

It is unfortunate that you have not been educated properly and have fallen for the propaganda of the old Pro-Pakistan Government of Bangladesh. You telling me to never dare lecture you about history speaks volumes of how you wish to remain in your echo chamber believing that your "truth" is the Supreme truth, away from anyone who would challenge you and your claims.

 

[Saif]

Looks like the heavy madrasa education set up by the traitors who killed Mujib has deeply left you misinformed.

I would even say BSF is on par with the Pakistani Army, armed to fight them off till heavy reinforcements from the Army would arrive. Your lack of knowledge about BSF speaks volumes as you spread venom of this capable force.

BSF supplied weapons to Mukti Bahini, trained their cadres, crossed into East Pakistan, facilitated important meetings between Awami League and Indian Government leaders, blew up critical infrastructure to aid in your liberation.

If you think you liberated yourself, you are mistaken. Why did it take till India moved into the war that the Pakistanis left. Even the Americans wanted you dead.

If Mukti Bahini was left by itself, the Pakistanis would have crushed it, and continued it's rule of East Pakistan.

It is unfortunate that you have not been educated properly and have fallen for the propaganda of the old Pro-Pakistan Government of Bangladesh. You telling me to never dare lecture you about history speaks volumes of how you wish to remain in your echo chamber believing that your "truth" is the Supreme truth, away from anyone who would challenge you and your claims.

BSF is a paramilitary force and is not trained and armed to face a challenge from a professional army. It is you who need some education about BSF and its capability. Most of the training of Mukti Bahini was conducted by the East Bengal regiment while some training was conducted by the Indian army in Dehradun. The Indian army trained Mujib bahini who never took part in our liberation war. They were given responsibilities of crushing the Mizo rebels in Chittagong Hill Tracts and killing pro-chinese freedom fighters in Bangladesh. India moved in East Pakistan so late because they waited until the Mukti Bahini cornered the Pakistani army by blowing up important infrastructure and severing military supply line within East Pakistan. Another reason for the Indian army to move in East Pakistan so late because of Monsoon. Manekshaw rejected Indira Gandhis proposal to declare a war on Pakistan in April because in Monsoon the rivers in East Pakistan swell and flood the low lying land. Mukti bahini conducted a guerilla war against the Pakistani army but the Pakistani army was not trained to face such a non-conventional military tactic. This is the main reason for the success of Mukti Bahini against the Pakistani army. Had there was no Mukti Bahini, the Indian army would not dare to move into East Pakistan.

The Mukti Bahini's indomitable spirit is evident in the writings of Indian Lt Gen Jacob. "They achieved significant results in occupation of areas in the interior, demolitions and harassment of the enemy even before hostilities started. They completely demoralised the Pakistan Army, lowering their morale and creating such a hostile environment that their ability to operate was restricted and they were virtually confined to their fortified locations. The overall achievements of the Mukti Bahini and the East Bengal Regiments were enormous. Bangladesh can be proud of them. Their contribution was a crucial element in the operations prior to and during full-scale hostilities. Due credit must be given to their dedicated efforts to achieve the independence of their country," Jacob wrote in his book Surrender at Dacca: Birth of a Nation (Pg 94).

You need some serious history lesson before arguing with me. Have a nice rest of the day.

 

[Aestas Vivax]

BSF is a paramilitary force and is not trained and armed to face a challenge from a professional army. It is you who need some education about BSF and its capability. Most of the training of Mukti Bahini was conducted by the East Bengal regiment while some training was conducted by the Indian army in Dehradun. The Indian army trained Mujib bahini who never took part in our liberation war. They were given responsibilities of crushing the Mizo rebels in Chittagong Hill Tracts and killing pro-chinese freedom fighters in Bangladesh. India moved in East Pakistan so late because they waited until the Mukti Bahini cornered the Pakistani army by blowing up important infrastructure and severing military supply line within East Pakistan. Another reason for the Indian army to move in East Pakistan so late because of Monsoon. Manekshaw rejected Indira Gandhis proposal to declare a war on Pakistan in April because in Monsoon the rivers in East Pakistan swell and flood the low lying land. Mukti bahini conducted a guerilla war against the Pakistani army but the Pakistani army was not trained to face such a non-conventional military tactic. This is the main reason for the success of Mukti Bahini against the Pakistani army. Had there was no Mukti Bahini, the Indian army would not dare to move into East Pakistan.

The Mukti Bahini's indomitable spirit is evident in the writings of Indian Lt Gen Jacob. "They achieved significant results in occupation of areas in the interior, demolitions and harassment of the enemy even before hostilities started. They completely demoralised the Pakistan Army, lowering their morale and creating such a hostile environment that their ability to operate was restricted and they were virtually confined to their fortified locations. The overall achievements of the Mukti Bahini and the East Bengal Regiments were enormous. Bangladesh can be proud of them. Their contribution was a crucial element in the operations prior to and during full-scale hostilities. Due credit must be given to their dedicated efforts to achieve the independence of their country," Jacob wrote in his book Surrender at Dacca: Birth of a Nation (Pg 94).

You need some serious history lesson before arguing with me. Have a nice rest of the day.

You are getting ridiculous by just pointing at the fact that BSF is a paramilitary force. You are forgetting that this was the period a large number of Army regulars were a part of BSF. You are the one who is unable to swallow the fact that BSF has done alot for Bangladesh during the war, given your obsession of putting it down for the sake of your own circlejerk.

If there was no Mukti Bahini and Refugees moving to India, why would India care about Pakistanis killing Pakistanis? 3 million were killed when India intervened, more would have died without India.

Your point of Monsoon being brought up here cannot be comprehended as that was militarily sound, and cannot be used as an argument here.

The Indian Army only trained some, as BSF did the heavy lifting, the same force which you hate just because some Bangladeshis crossed the border illegally.

Without India's intervention, despite how much of a good job Mukti Bahini performed in punishing the Pakistanis, Searchlight would have been easily converted to another similar operation, given the likelihood of their assets in the West being freed.

Pulling up Lt Gen Jacob's writing is an effective way of using different information to obscure the main fact of the matter.

India (via BSF) armed and aided Mukti Bahini to ensure it was an effective fighting force. Yes, the regiment did good, but without outside support, it would not be as effective as it would be.

You need to let go off your hatred to even effectively argue.

 

[Old School]

You are getting ridiculous by just pointing at the fact that BSF is a paramilitary force. You are forgetting that this was the period a large number of Army regulars were a part of BSF. You are the one who is unable to swallow the fact that BSF has done alot for Bangladesh during the war, given your obsession of putting it down for the sake of your own circlejerk.

If there was no Mukti Bahini and Refugees moving to India, why would India care about Pakistanis killing Pakistanis? 3 million were killed when India intervened, more would have died without India.

Your point of Monsoon being brought up here cannot be comprehended as that was militarily sound, and cannot be used as an argument here.

The Indian Army only trained some, as BSF did the heavy lifting, the same force which you hate just because some Bangladeshis crossed the border illegally.

Without India's intervention, despite how much of a good job Mukti Bahini performed in punishing the Pakistanis, Searchlight would have been easily converted to another similar operation, given the likelihood of their assets in the West being freed.

Pulling up Lt Gen Jacob's writing is an effective way of using different information to obscure the main fact of the matter.

India (via BSF) armed and aided Mukti Bahini to ensure it was an effective fighting force. Yes, the regiment did good, but without outside support, it would not be as effective as it would be.

You need to let go off your hatred to even effectively argue.

There is actually a whole book written on the BSF activities during 1971 war in East Pakistan - India’s Secret War: BSF and Nine Months to the birth of Bangladesh by Ushinor Majumdar

Here are the review and some excerpts :
"The BSF was working deep inside the East Pakistan hinterland. “The joint team of the Mukti Bahini and BSF began to watch for patterns, and also worked with villagers for intelligence on troop movements,” writes Majumdar. That gave them an opportunity to welcome the Awami League leaders, set them up in Calcutta and spirit away a diplomatic mission from under the noses of the Pakistani foreign service. There are many more instances of such aces that India used to trump the Pakistanis".

"The author chronicles the life and times of a young Roopak Ranjan Mitra who was among the first batch of Platoon Commander Direct Entry (PCDE) for the BSF that penetrated East Pakistan and disrupted the night patrols of the East Pakistani soldiers. Mitra and other BSF personnel left their identity cards back at their camps, donned civvies and went deep into East Pakistan to raid Pakistan Army installations and ambush their troop movements".

You can read the review here: Inside bloodied East Pakistan, through BSF’s eyes - The Sunday Guardian Live or buy the book.

 

[Saif]

Body of teen killed in BSF firing returned in the dark of night

Breaking News, International News & Multimedia

thedailynewnation.com

Body of teen killed in BSF firing returned in the dark of night​

28 Mar 2024, 11:41 am

UNB:

The body of a Bangladeshi farmer, who was shot to death allegedly by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the Nitpur border in Porsha upazila of Naogaon on Tuesday, was handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Wednesday night.

BSF members handed over the body of Al Amin through 236 main pillars of the bordering area at Hapania around 10 pm after a flag meeting between the border forces of Bangladesh and India, said Subedar Mahfuzur Rahman of Nitpur BGB camp.

Public representatives and police officers of Porsha Police Station were also present there.

On March 26, Al Amin was shot dead when the BSF members from Mil Mari of Malda district in India opened fire on him along Nitpur border area in Porsha upazila.​

 

[Saif]

You are getting ridiculous by just pointing at the fact that BSF is a paramilitary force. You are forgetting that this was the period a large number of Army regulars were a part of BSF. You are the one who is unable to swallow the fact that BSF has done alot for Bangladesh during the war, given your obsession of putting it down for the sake of your own circlejerk.

If there was no Mukti Bahini and Refugees moving to India, why would India care about Pakistanis killing Pakistanis? 3 million were killed when India intervened, more would have died without India.

Your point of Monsoon being brought up here cannot be comprehended as that was militarily sound, and cannot be used as an argument here.

The Indian Army only trained some, as BSF did the heavy lifting, the same force which you hate just because some Bangladeshis crossed the border illegally.

Without India's intervention, despite how much of a good job Mukti Bahini performed in punishing the Pakistanis, Searchlight would have been easily converted to another similar operation, given the likelihood of their assets in the West being freed.

Pulling up Lt Gen Jacob's writing is an effective way of using different information to obscure the main fact of the matter.

India (via BSF) armed and aided Mukti Bahini to ensure it was an effective fighting force. Yes, the regiment did good, but without outside support, it would not be as effective as it would be.

You need to let go off your hatred to even effectively argue.

You are free to glorify BSF's role during our liberation war but the fact remains the same that your lota carrying BSF was not responsible for training and equipping Mukti Bahini. It was the Indian army and RAW who played the pivotal role in training and equipping M,ukti bahini to fight against the Pakistani army.

India did not help us just because 10 million refugees moved into India to save their lives from the Pakistani army. India helped us in our liberation war to gain its strategic goal of dismembering Pakistan.

Follow the link below to read the article about who trained and equipped Mukti Bahini to fight against the Pakistani army. The author of the article is an India army top brass. Here is the link:

How the Mukti Bahini was trained

On May 1, 1971, General SHFJ Manekshaw issued the Indian Army Operational Instruction No. 52. A structured policy to provide training facilities and logistical and operational support for the liberation of Bangladesh was prepared by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, General Officer...

www.thedailystar.net

 

[Aestas Vivax]

You are free to glorify BSF's role during our liberation war but the fact remains the same that your lota carrying BSF was not responsible for training and equipping Mukti Bahini. It was the Indian army and RAW who played the pivotal role in training and equipping M,ukti bahini to fight against the Pakistani army.

India did not help us just because 10 million refugees moved into India to save their lives from the Pakistani army. India helped us in our liberation war to gain its strategic goal of dismembering Pakistan.

Follow the link below to read the article about who trained and equipped Mukti Bahini to fight against the Pakistani army. The author of the article is an India army top brass. Here is the link:

How the Mukti Bahini was trained

On May 1, 1971, General SHFJ Manekshaw issued the Indian Army Operational Instruction No. 52. A structured policy to provide training facilities and logistical and operational support for the liberation of Bangladesh was prepared by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, General Officer...

www.thedailystar.net

Yes, that is why I mentioned.

India should have let pakistan finish the job

 

[Saif]

BSF kills 3 Bangladeshis in 5 days

Another Bangladeshi national was shot dead in Lalmonirhat border by the Indian Border Security Force on Saturday, taking to three the number of deaths in...

www.newagebd.net

BSF kills 3 Bangladeshis in 5 days
Staff Correspondent | Published: 00:52, Mar 31,2024

Another Bangladeshi national was shot dead in Lalmonirhat border by the Indian Border Security Force on Saturday, taking to three the number of deaths in BSF shootings in the past five days.

New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported that a Bangladeshi citizen was killed and two others were injured in firing by the Indian BSF along the border in Lalmonirhat's Kaliganj Upazila early Saturday.

The deceased, Murali Chandra, 42, was killed four days after the BSF killed 20-year-old Liton Mia on March 26 in Lalmonirhat.

The injured are Mizanur Rahman and Liton Mia, residents of the neighbouring Chandrapur area.

Lalmonirhat 15 BGB battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Md Mofazzal Hossain Akand confirmed the matter.

According to Border Guard Bangladesh, members of a patrol team of 75-Chitrakot BSF camp opened fire on some Bangladeshi cattle traders along the border, leaving Murali dead and two others injured at about 3:00am.

He told New Age on Saturday that the body was kept in police custody and a letter was sent to the BSF.

When the injured were dragged inside Bangladesh, the family members sent them to the hospital.

Murali died on his way to Rangpur for better treatment.

On information, the Kaliganj police recovered the body and took it to the police station.

Kaliganj police station officer-in-charge Imtiaz Kadir said, 'We have recovered the body. Further legal action will be taken after investigation.'

Earlier, two Bangladeshi youths– Liton Mia, 20, and Al-Amin, 32, were killed along the border in Naogaon and Lalmonirhat by the Indian BSF on March 26.

BSF took the bodies and did not return them till the evening on March 27, according to local people.

On March 17, the BSF killed a Bangladeshi teenage boy and injured another at bordering Moulvibazar village.

At least 20 Bangladeshi nationals, including a BGB member, had been killed in the firing by the Indian BSF since June 2023, according to rights group Ain o Salish Kendra reports updated in January.​

 

[Saif]

‘Border killings rooted in discrimination against the marginalised’

Kirity Roy, secretary of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), a rights organisation based in West Bengal, India, discusses the underlying issues behind border killings at the Bangladesh-India border, in an exclusive interview with Naimul Alam Alvi of The Daily Star.

www.thedailystar.net

Border killings rooted in discrimination against the marginalised'

Kirity Roy, secretary of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), a rights organisation based in West Bengal, India, discusses the underlying issues behind border killings at the Bangladesh-India border, in an exclusive interview with Naimul Alam Alvi of The Daily Star.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF), along with the governments on both sides, have repeatedly pledged to reduce border killings to zero. But this goal remains unmet. Why is it so?

One of the primary reasons behind killings at the Bangladesh-India border is that the border guards of both countries are corrupt. Many BGB and BSF members profit from smuggling—be it human or cattle trafficking, or smuggling of other goods. Smugglers from both sides of the border pay money, and these individuals get their share. That's why they turn a blind eye to these things. In some cases, there is retaliation, which sometimes ends in border killings. But the people who get killed are just carriers; the kingpins remain out of reach.

The Constitution of India clearly says that the state will not discriminate among people, and there will be no discriminatory policies. But it seems that for India, it is accepted that there's a difference between the Bhutan or Nepal border and the Bangladesh border, based on how they are treated. There's no opposition to this state of affairs from the governmental level, and no political parties are concerned about this. So this issue persists.
​

If you can just take some cows across the border, or throw a sack over the fence, there is money. The border guards will allow it, and even the police will guard you. But we have to understand that these people are not the kingpins of cross-border smuggling—they are just carriers.​

Why is there a different attitude towards the Bangladesh-India border?

When the subcontinent became "independent" from the British, without being fully decolonised, they divided two countries according to the two-nation theory—that Hindus and Muslims are different. When India and Pakistan were born, they had a hostile, antagonistic attitude towards each other, which still exists and is even being nurtured by religious political parties. I'm not saying all Hindus or all Muslims are against each other, but there is enough of this kind of attitude between the two groups across the subcontinent. Since 1971, Bangladesh has not been a part of Pakistan, but it seems that this truth has not been processed by many individuals in the Indian foreign ministry, the military, and the BSF.

The BSF was formed in 1965 as a result of the Indo-Pak war. So, there is an innate narrative that "Pakistan is our enemy," which has turned into "Muslims are our enemy." This is projected towards Bangladesh as well.

The India that was promised in 1947 is not the same as the India of today. There is now a Hindu nationalist party in power. Similarly, the Bangladesh of 1971, which was secular, is not the same Bangladesh now. The Hindu nationalist party carries resentment for Muslims in general. Incidentally, Bangladesh happens to fall under that criterion.

Why do people cross the border illegally in the first place?

The 1947 Partition of the subcontinent, particularly Bengal, was carried out in a blatantly arbitrary and inconsiderate manner, the repercussions of which are still felt. The partition divided many families: there are families now on both sides of the border who have relatives on the other side. They have been and will continue to try to visit their relatives; you cannot restrict them with passports, visas or barbed-wire fences. There are many who don't have passports, or can't afford to get passports and visas easily. Still, they want to visit their relatives, or their ancestral homes, just like they have been doing for generations since before Partition.

In addition, people migrate in search of work, a better life, and better livelihood options. People have been doing this since before Partition, and even now after the borders have been armed with barbed wire. This kind of migration should be understood and handled considering the region's history and complexity, considering push factors and pull factors. It is the states' responsibility to focus on these factors, instead of taking action against these people.

From what I've seen, people living in the border areas, on both sides, are extremely marginalised. In India, the majority of people living in border regions are Muslims and Hindu Dalits—both religiously and socio-economically marginalised communities in the country. On your side of the border, too, there are Hindu Dalits, or Muslims from poor communities. And in both countries, border areas and these communities are not the focus of development.

For a better living, these marginalised people are forced to seek different ways to make a living. On the other hand, as I have said, smuggling is allowed and supported by different parts of the system—local politicians, government figures, and border guards. So, smuggling has become an attainable opportunity for these people. If you can just take some cows across the border, or throw a sack over the fence, there is money. The border guards will allow it, and even the police will guard you. But we have to understand that these people are not the kingpins of cross-border smuggling—they are just carriers.

You've commented on one of our reports that these are "systematic killings." Can you elaborate?

The BSF has firearms, but Indian law doesn't allow using firearms just because you have them. Still, they are using it against people crossing the border, and nobody's actually stopping them. Their primary argument for this is that they act in self-defence. More often than not, these stories of self-defence are found to be fabricated. It's true that in some cases the smugglers do attack the BSF. But in most cases, people who are carrying cows, sugar or gold across the border are not armed. Nevertheless, they are shot at.

On the other hand, our state police, local politicians, and BSF personnel get their share from the smugglers. So, this smuggling is supported by bigger players, but the people who carry the goods are actually victims.

Under criminal law, this migration may be considered a crime, but the fundamental human need to survive transcends such laws. The issue cannot be effectively solved with legislation like the Foreigners' Act or the Entry Act. Similarly, threats of imprisonment, and use of lethal weapons are inhumane and ineffective. When a state only considers its political stance and doesn't prioritise the issues and benefits of its citizens, it enables negative impacts on people.

The justice delivery systems in both countries are still not modern. The British left decades ago, but we have not changed many colonial rules, systems and approaches to justice. The Indian Penal Code and the Police Regulations, Bengal have their origins in colonial rule. Your Police Act, too, has its roots there. We have our independence, but our judiciary system, law enforcement are not free, and we are not free from the colonial hangover.

How is this system affecting people in terms of human rights?

The focus of this conversation is on border killings and inhumane behaviour towards marginalised people in border areas, but people are treated badly in many ways. For instance, look at the prisons—there are many foreign captives in jankhalash cases. Among them, many were supposed to be freed and returned to their country many years ago. Many have been through trial, and the court has released them. But somehow their verification issued by the country of origin has not come yet. Why does it take months, and even years to complete such menial work? Why is it not a priority, and solved in time so that these people do not have to remain in jail even after they have served their sentences, or have been released by the court? This is the result of the judiciary system, government, administration, police, home department, and foreign department all being insensitive and inhumane towards people. They still have that colonial mindset and colonial structure. Even if we have laws that ensure equality and do not allow discrimination towards people, nothing will change until we change this mindset.

There are even international laws that ensure human rights for all. There are different declarations, and statements to ensure human rights. But these are just not implemented. Bangladesh has signed many international treaties which will support these marginalised people and their human rights. However, India has not signed many of them. Without working for all of the people, how can we consider the country truly democratic?

What can we do to improve the situation?

We, like many human rights organisations on both sides of the border, are trying to reach the victims and support them in their legal battles, or getting treatment. We try to collect information and facts from different sources, analyse them and present them to the public and to civil society. We try to advocate for governance reforms in the criminal justice system to make it more humane. We try to work for the comprehensive implementation of what is in the constitution—freedom and equality.

Unfortunately, the governments in both countries consider anyone opposing any of their actions as their enemy. Human rights activists, who demand justice for the people, are treated as enemies of the state and are thrown in jail. If that is the case, if the governments do not want to change, how can you make any reform? We cannot reform law enforcement, the justice system or the governance system until the government is onboard. Until it shows good intentions, this fight for human rights has to continue.​