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A top-level conference between Bangladesh Rifles and Indian Border Security Force kicked off yesterday with Bangladesh protesting against the shooting of its unarmed people by the BSF at the frontier.
The BDR personnel at the conference urged BSF to stop such shooting incidents, said conference sources.
BSF DG Raman Srivastava in reply said most of the shooting and killing incidents took place within Indian territory after the criminals had crossed the border at night.
"We have placed the issue of frequent shooting and killing of unarmed Bangladeshi people in border areas by BSF men. We protested and requested them [BSF] to stop such incidents," BDR DG Maj Gen Md Rafiqul Islam told The Daily Star yesterday.
"The BSF personnel requested us to restrict the crossing of borders after the evening," he added.
The BDR DG said, "It's true that most of the shooting incidents took place in Indian territory after dark. We'll now impose restriction on crossing the border at night. The local administrations will also be notified on the matter."
During the five-day talks at BDR headquarters at Pilkhana, Dhaka, the two forces will exchange lists of criminals hiding in India and Bangladesh.
"We have agreed to improve our relation," said Maj Gen Md Rafiqul Islam.
Issues of adversely possessed land, construction of illegal structure, abduction of Bangladeshi people by BSF men were discussed at the meet.
The conference agenda also includes preventing smuggling, human trafficking and improving law and order in the border areas.
The BDR DG said they talked about the Joint Boundary Working Group (JBWG) and expressed concern over its inactivity. The JBWG has not hold any meeting since 2006. "If the JBWG activities resume, it will help to improve law and order in the areas."
The BDR DG also observed, "As many places along the borders are not demarcated, members of BDR and BSF remain confused about their territory."
BSF DG Raman Srivastava is leading a 20-member delegation while BDR chief a 22-member team in the conference.
At the end of the first session, both DGs called on Home Minister Sahara Khatun and State Minister for Home Shamsul Islam Tuku at the secretariat in the afternoon.
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