The Indian Border Security Force has assured Bangladesh of a fair retrial in the killing of Bangladeshi teenager Felani Khatun upon further investigation, a year after her self-confessed killer had been acquitted in a trial that received severe criticism.
“We wanted to know about the progress of the retrial of Felani killing. The BSF officials told us that reinvestigation in Felani killing was going on so that the trial can be conducted properly,” BGB Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed said yesterday.
He spoke to the Dhaka Tribune over phone from New Delhi where a five-day conference between the BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is underway.
The two countries also discussed various other issues including smuggling and drug trafficking. The conference ends today.
“Dhaka also pressed for bringing border killings to zero. The killings are taking place even though the BSF promised to do everything possible to stop such killings during the previous conference in Dhaka in September last year,” he added.
A special BSF court on September 6 last year acquitted BSF Constable Amiya Ghosh of the charge of killing Felani. The self-confessed killer could not be found guilty because of “inconclusive and insufficient” evidence against him, the court said in its verdict.
Felani, 15, was shot dead on January 7, 2011 while she was returning home with her father. As she tried to climb over the barbed-wire fence along the Anantapur border in Kurigram, her clothes got entangled in the wire and the BSF fired at her, hearing her screams.
“We expected justice, but it has not been reflected in the judgement of the Felani killing case,” then home minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir said adding that the killing of Felani had been a shameful and tragic incident for both Bangladesh and India.
Criticising the verdict, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Mizanur Rahman said the judgement showed disrespect for international law. “It has made a mockery of justice. It has not only cheated the family of Felani but also the whole nation,” he said.
The Foreign Ministry also expressed frustration over the verdict formally. Then minister Dipu Moni said the government would appeal against the verdict if justice was not ensured.
A day later, the BSF in a press release said the competent authorities of the force decided to hold a revision trial in the case as they had not agreed with the findings of the court.
The BGB chief said the BSF authorities in a letter last week had requested to produce Felani’s father and maternal uncle for the trial procedure.
Seeking anonymity, a lawyer who is helping Felani’s family said her father Nur Islam had appealed to the Indian Supreme Court seeking compensation and fair trial into the killing.
Maj Gen Aziz leads a 20-member delegation from Bangladesh side while BSF chief DK Pathak heads the Indian side at the conference.
About the border killings, “the BSF officials said firing takes place when smugglers try to enter the Indian territory at midnight,” the BGB DG quoted the Indian officials as saying.
He claimed that the Indian officials had again assured them of taking measures in bringing down the number of killings to zero.
India and Bangladesh yesterday also decided to increase joint patrolling along the over 4,000km border, reports the Times of India.
The BSF also handed over a list of 71 insurgent camps and those of their cadres suspected to be based in Bangladesh.
BSF chief Pathak said both the forces had decided on a new and improved patrolling plan where troops from both the sides would come together for vigil.
