Bangladesh will raise border killings and illegal “push-in” incidents at the upcoming Director General (DG)-level talks between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF), officials said yesterday.
The four-day BGB–BSF conference will be held in New Delhi from June 8 to 11, where border-related violence, push-in allegations and the repatriation of undocumented migrants are expected to dominate discussions.
Ministry of Home Affairs officials said Bangladesh has taken a firm position against any form of illegal push-in and border killings along the frontier.
According to BGB officials, Dhaka will also express concern over reported attempts to construct structures within 150 yards of the no-man’s-land, which it says would violate international norms.
Speaking at the Secretariat, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said all border-related issues would be discussed at the summit.
He said while any country has the right to take legal action against illegal entry, not all such incidents should automatically be described as border killings.
On reported operations against Bangladeshis in West Bengal and alleged pushbacks, the minister said the government is monitoring the situation closely and BGB has been placed on alert along the frontier.
He added that Bangladesh opposes both illegal push-in and pushback incidents. However, repatriation of any Bangladeshi citizen after proper identity verification must follow due legal procedures through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
BGB Public Relations Officer Shariful Islam said the force would again urge the Indian side not to construct any structures within the restricted 150-yard border zone.
BGB Deputy Director General (Media) Colonel Abul Hasnat Mohammad Mahmud Azam said “border killings will be our main agenda item” at the conference.
He added that BGB will push for an end to border violence and seek renewed commitments from the BSF to reduce border deaths to zero.
The BGB–BSF DG-level talks are held twice a year, alternating between Dhaka and New Delhi.
The Bangladeshi delegation will be led by Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, while the Indian side will be headed by Praveen Kumar.
Despite repeated assurances in past meetings, border killings remain a key concern for Dhaka.
According to rights group Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), 34 Bangladeshis were killed by the BSF in 2025 alone, including 24 by gunfire and 10 from physical assault.
ASK data shows at least 102 Bangladeshis were killed between 2021 and 2024.
Reports also indicate that at least 12 Bangladeshis were killed in 2025 in border areas of Sylhet Division by members of Indian communities, including the Khasi community.
Bangladesh and India share a 4,096-kilometre international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world, spanning Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and West Bengal.
End/Shawon
