Foreign secretary Md Jashim Uddin on Sunday expressed deep concern of the Bangladesh government to the high commissioner of India Pranay Verma at his office at the foreign ministry over the recent activities of the Border Security Force (BSF) of India along the Bangladesh-India Border.
The Indian high commissioner was summoned to the foreign ministry on Sunday afternoon.
Foreign secretary Md Jashim Uddin disclosed this on Sunday evening. When asked, the foreign secretary said, “The situation, which is prevailing at the border now, is totally undesirable. Recently a Bangladeshi national has lost his life at the border. Overall we have expressed deep concerns to the Indian high commissioner over the border situation.”
He stressed that such activities particularly the unauthorised attempt to construct barbed wire fencing and the related operational actions by BSF, have caused tensions and disturbances along the border.
The foreign secretary said that he discussed with the Indian high commissioner about the upcoming BGB-BSF DG level talks in Delhi to resolve the border situation.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministry in a press release on Sunday said that the construction of barbed wire fences without proper authorisation undermines the spirit of cooperation and friendly relations between the two neighboring countries.
Referring to the recent killing of a Bangladesh citizen at Sunamganj by BSF, foreign secretary expressed deep concern and disappointment over such repetition of border killings.
He strongly resented these acts of killing and called for urgent action by the Indian authorities to stop recurrence of such incidents and conduct enquiries into all these border killings and take actions against those responsible.
He mentioned that it is also a matter of grave concern that despite repeated firm commitments from the Indian authorities to pursue non-lethal strategy and to stop killings, such incidents of killing have been continuing.
The foreign secretary called upon the government of India to advise all concerned authorities in India to refrain from any provocative actions that could escalate tensions along the shared border.
The foreign secretary also mentioned, Bangladesh believes that such issues should be resolved through constructive dialogue, in accordance with existing bilateral agreements, and in a way that upholds peace and tranquility along the border.
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