The Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally complained to India following the discovery of a deceased Bangladeshi minor near the Tripura border.
The foreign minister announced on social media that Bangladesh had officially protested to India regarding the death of 13-year-old Shwarna Das from Juri upazila, Moulvibazar district, allegedly shot by Indian Border Security Forces on September 1, 2024.
Bangladesh sent a note to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on September 5 to voice its objection and denounce the incident. Dhaka emphasized that such border fatalities are unnecessary and undesirable, violating the 1975 Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines for Border Authorities.
Bangladesh has urged India to stop such occurrences, investigate all border killings, identify those responsible, and ensure justice is served.
Investigation into Bangladeshi Girl’s Death Continues
Tripura Police and BSF jointly transferred the body of the minor, found with bullet wounds near Laitapura Border Outpost along the Indo-Bangla International Border in Kailashahar, Unakoti district.
Police from Irani station in Kailashahar reported finding the girl’s body between Sunday and Monday. The body was identified by her father and handed over to Bangladesh authorities.
While the girl died from a bullet wound, the source of the shot remains unclear. An Irani police officer stated the investigation is ongoing.
Conflicting Reports on Girl’s Age and Circumstances
Bangladesh claims the girl was 13, not 16, and killed by BSF fire. Lt Col Mizanur Rahman Shikdar of the Border Guards Bangladesh alleged BSF personnel fatally shot her as she attempted to cross into India near Lalarchak border.
The girl’s father said they were trying to enter India illegally to visit her brother in Tripura when BSF personnel opened fire, killing his daughter instantly.
Bangladesh Adviser Calls for ‘Zero Death at Border’
In an interview with ABP News , Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hussain discussed border killings, emphasizing the need for zero deaths at the border. He stated that each border death causes widespread resentment in Bangladesh.
Hussain believes achieving zero border deaths is possible with goodwill from India. He stressed that killing is not an appropriate response to border irregularities, noting that all borders face some level of crime.
The adviser suggested that stopping border killings would significantly reduce grievances among Bangladeshis.
