Rizvi blasts AL govt for silence on BSF killings at Bangladesh border

The Awami League government does not voice any protest even if India's Border Security Force (BSF carries out looting, attacks, and vandalism by intruding our territory, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said today (29 January).

"The ruling government is bowing down to India only for power," said Rizvi during a press conference at BNP's central office in Nayapaltan, Dhaka.

The BNP leader made the comments in response to his party's protest against the killing of two Bangladeshis, including a member of the Border Guard of Bangladesh, by the BSF.

The Indian border troops killed a Bangladeshi national named Rafiul Islam Tuklu along the Aunghorpota border in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat on Sunday, six days after shooting a BGB member named Mohammad Raisuddin to death.

Rizvi said, "Apart from Bangladesh, India shares its land border with four more countries, including Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and a water border with Sri Lanka, with BSF members guarding everywhere. But incidents of killing innocent people by BSF along the border with other neighbouring countries are not very common like in Bangladesh."

He continued, "The explanations provided by the BSF after every killing are ill-motivated, farcical, and brazen falsehood."

"According to international law, no nation can kill the unarmed citizens of another nation. There is a provision of trial as per the domestic law of the country involved if anyone commits a crime. But BSF does not comply with the law. They kill Bangladeshi nationals on the border like hunting birds, which is a grave crime as per international law," added the BNP leader.

He further said, "Death sentences or shootings can never be the punishment for smuggling on the Bangladesh-India border, and BSF does not have the authority to give such punishment."

Rizvi said, "If India's support to Sheikh Hasina's illegitimate government is exchanged for the life of an innocent Bangladeshi citizen or BGB member, then it is certain that Bangladesh's independence is now vulnerable. And unguarded freedom is subjugation."

Referring to Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader acknowledging India's support during the 7 January polls, Rizvi said, "Quader's comment proves that Awami League seized power again without any votes by the dint of India's cooperation."