Unprecedented move by BGB seems to be a ploy to hurt ‘friendly’ Hasina Govt’s image
In a shocking incident, the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) on Thursday killed a BSF Head Constable and injured another constable by firing at them from AK-47 assault rifles during a flag meeting on the international boundary in West Bengal. The meeting took place to discuss the arrest of an Indian fisherman by the Bangladesh paramilitary force.
Miffed over the incident, BSF chief Vivek Johri called up his BGB counterpart Major General Shafeenul, who assured him a thorough probe into the incident, officials said.
Later the BSF tweeted, “DG & all ranks #BSF salute the supreme sacrifice of Head Constable Vijay Bhan Singh and offer condolences to the family members. On 17th October ‘19, HC Vijay Bhan Singh was martyred while on an operational duty (flag meeting with BGB) on Indo-Bangladesh Border.”
“Today morning, three Indian fishermen went for fishing in River Padma in the border area. Two fishermen returned and approached BSF post Kakmarichar (Riverine border of River Padma which falls in the AOR (area of operation) of this BOP (Border Out Post) to inform that Border Guards Bangladesh had apprehended them and later released two of them to call BSF post Commander for flag meeting,” the BSF said in a statement.
The BSF further stated, “Around 10.30 hours, Post Commander along with 5 troopers in the BSF boat, approached BGB patrol in the water channel of River Padma near Boundary Pillar 75/7-S. During flag meeting, BGB patrol did not release Indian fisherman and also tried to cordon (gherao) BSF troops. Sensing the situation worsening, BSF party immediately returned.
“BGB troops opened fire on the returning BSF party. Head Constable Vijay Bhan Singh received bullet injuries on his head and succumbed and the constable/crew (boatman) received bullet injuries on his right hand. Both injured BSF personnel were evacuated to the nearest medical facility. Head Constable Vijay Bhan Singh was declared brought dead. Injured Constable has been taken to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital.”
BGB authorities have been contacted and senior officials are on the spot, it said.
The attack on the BSF trooper is primarily an indicator of some local issues in Bangladesh aimed at addressing the domestic audience through radical elements in the BGB ahead of the national elections. The incident does not reflect any design at the level of the Government there which has been friendly with India and cooperating on a number of issues including counter-terror operations, sources said.
Martyred Head Constable Vijay Bhan Singh, born in 1968, joined the BSF in 1990 and is survived by two sons. Singh hailed from Chamaroli Sadupur, Siklwabad under Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh.
The incident has shocked the BSF as relations between the two forces that guard the 4,096-km long international border have been very cordial and no bullet has been fired between them for decades. Prima facie, the incident seems to be an aberration and efforts are being made to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate further, sources said.
The incident has triggered an alarm here even as the BSF briefed the Ministries of Home and External Affairs.
The incident occurred under the Kakmarichar border post of the BSF in Murshidabad district on Thursday morning when the three fishermen were nabbed by the BGB. The fishermen were allowed to fish within the international border, that runs through the middle of the 3-km-wide Padma river. The Padma river is rich hilsa variety of fish.
A BGB jawan identified as Sayed fired from behind when the six-member BSF party started to return on their motor-boat after seeing “aggressiveness” and an intention to “surround” them by the Bangladeshi personnel.
While Singh died on the vessel, injured constable Yadav managed to prevent the boat from drowning and brought it safely to the Indian side.
Meanwhile, fisherman Pranab Mandal of Shirochar village of Murshidabad continues to be in BGB custody.
Following the incident, the BSF has stepped up vigil along the Indo-Bangla border.
The two forces meet biannually and the last the DG-level talks took place between the two border guarding forces in June at BGB’s headquarters in Dhaka.