Two Bangladesh Border Guards Shot Dead By India: Military

Friday, July 18, 2008 at 12:06 pm

DHAKA Indian security forces shot dead two Bangladeshi border guards while they were patrolling along the country’s northwestern frontier, an official said on Friday.

Bangladesh Rifles chief Major General Shakil Ahmed told AFP the two guards suddenly came under attack by the Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) at Thursday midnight.

“They were patrolling along the Bangladesh side of the border in the Chapainawabganj district when the BSF men fired at them. Two of our troops died at the spot,” Ahmed said

“We’ve protested the firing. It’s serious border violation by the BSF,” he said.

Bangladesh says Indian forces regularly shoot its traders and farmers in the border area, with around 100 being killed in 2007. India says most of those killed were smugglers who intruded into its territory.

India frequently accuses Bangladesh of pushing illegal migrants through the border and harbouring militants fighting Indian rule in its northeast. Dhaka says New Delhi allows Bangladeshi criminals to take refuge on its soil.

In 2001, 16 Indian and three Bangladeshi soldiers were killed in the deadliest border clash between the two sides.

Last October the border forces’ chiefs of the two countries met in Dhaka and agreed to scale down the violence.