Almost all quiet on the eastern front

[StingRoy]

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Almost all quiet on the eastern front - India's border with Bangladesh



AT LAST, some good news from one of the world’s bloodiest international borders. Last month, the number of Bangladeshi nationals killed by India’s trigger-happy Border Security Forces (BSF) along the India-Bangladesh border dropped, like a stone. Down to zero.

This is a first. For years, not a week had gone by without news of yet another killing. The death toll between these two democracies dwarfs the number killed attempting to cross the inner-German border during the cold war. According to Human Rights Watch, India’s border force has killed almost 1,000 Bangladeshis over the past ten years.

Still, the change is striking. In March, the head of the BSF announced that “non-lethal weapons” would be issued to Indian border guards in sensitive areas on an “experimental basis”. If successful, this practice would be implemented along their meandering 4,095km border, the world’s fifth-longest.

The change to India’s shoot-to-kill policy comes only months after the BSF shot dead a 15-year-old girl named Felani at an illegal crossing point between Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. Soon afterwards the walls adjacent to the office of Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, were plastered with a picture of Felani, calling for the killings to stop.

Shootings along the border have been one of many obstacles that have hobbled Sheikh Hasina’s attempt at a rapprochement with India. Bangladesh’s giant neighbour to the west, midwife to its birth forty years ago, nowadays tends to be regarded in the public mind as a wicked, overbearing stepmother.

The sort of normalisation of economic relations that would reflect the two countries’ shared history and geography is still far off (Bangladesh’s biggest trading partner is China; India is not even among its top-ten foreign investors). India regards China’s growing influence in South Asia as a major headache.

Sheikh Hasina has already agreed in principle to allow India to use its ports and roads for transit. The biggest difficulty for her party, the Awami League, will be to explain its new policy of engaging India to voters, in a country with a strong anti-Indian sentiment. Khaleda Zia, the leader of the main opposition group, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, likes to remind the electorate that under her leadership “no foreign vehicles” would be allowed to cross Bangladesh’s territory. She declares that she will resist her rival’s “move to turn Bangladesh into a state of India”.

Mrs Zia’s rhetoric sounds like a voice from the past. The Dhaka-based Bangladesh Enterprise Institute estimates that full economic integration with India could raise Bangladesh’s average rate of economic growth from 6% to 8%.

[Ajaxpaul]

Indian vehicles should not pass through Bangladesh, but India should welcome all Bangladeshis crossing illegally into India with Garlands. hmmmmm

[lonelyone]

Why are you playing the victim? India has been granted transit by the AL gov't. BSF has killed at least one person this April.

[apo_mEaTgRiNdEr]

Indian vehicles and ship are passing all the way across Bangladesh, but India must keep up with killing all Bangladeshis living close to the border with lethal weapons. hmmmmm

Couldn't have said better!

[GodlessBastard]

India is being used as a scapegoat for Bangladesh's problems. Their own country is failing so they need someone to blame.

[damiendehorn]

India is being used as a scapegoat for Bangladesh's problems. Their own country is failing so they need someone to blame.

Failing? Really, pray do tell us how we are failing. No wonder why there are so many people who dislike india, with people like you.

[GodlessBastard]

Failing? Really, pray do tell us how we are failing.

Bangladesh is failing because millions of your countrymen are illegally immigrating to a country that is also quite poor (India), but still better than Bangladesh.

No one else besides Bangladeshis want to immigrate to India. Ask yourself why that is.

No wonder why there are so many people who dislike india, with people like you.

I make statements like this only because of the anti-India jokers on this forum, many of whom are Bangladeshi ex-pats who like to criticize India in the comfort of their Western homes. I have never been to Bangladesh, so I don't know the "average guy on the street" feels about India, but I highly doubt all Bangladeshis are rabidly anti-Indian like the people here. I assume there are a mix of pro-Indian and anti-Indian Bangladeshis, with most being just neutral.

[saleen_s7]

Bangladesh is failing because millions of your countrymen are illegally immigrating to a country that is also quite poor (India), but still better than Bangladesh.

No one else besides Bangladeshis want to immigrate to India. Ask yourself why that is.



I make statements like this only because of the anti-India jokers on this forum, many of whom are Bangladeshi ex-pats who like to criticize India in the comfort of their Western homes. I have never been to Bangladesh, so I don't know the "average guy on the street" feels about India, but I highly doubt all Bangladeshis are rabidly anti-Indian like the people here. I assume there are a mix of pro-Indian and anti-Indian Bangladeshis, with most being just neutral.

There is no such thing as pro india or anti india. One might like India and still hate the international polices of India. Just like most of us, don't like the american foreign polices, but still live there. This two are independent of each other, and its really annoying when people try two draw a line between the two.
Anyways, I'm not "anti india" as you might say, but I do have severee problem with BSF shooting to kill innocent civilians. I do have issues with foreign companies like airtel getting priority before any of our companies. Offcourse that doesn't mean I "hate" india.

[Paan Singh]

There is no such thing as pro india or anti india. One might like India and still hate the international polices of India. Just like most of us, don't like the american foreign polices, but still live there. This two are independent of each other, and its really annoying when people try two draw a line between the two.
Anyways, I'm not "anti india" as you might say, but I do have severee problem with BSF shooting to kill innocent civilians. I do have issues with foreign companies like airtel getting priority before any of our companies. Offcourse that doesn't mean I "hate" india.

actually every country comes with packages ,some are looking good and some we hate.
and u gave good example of usa.

[StingRoy]

There is no such thing as pro india or anti india. One might like India and still hate the international polices of India. Just like most of us, don't like the american foreign polices, but still live there. This two are independent of each other, and its really annoying when people try two draw a line between the two.
Anyways, I'm not "anti india" as you might say, but I do have severee problem with BSF shooting to kill innocent civilians. I do have issues with foreign companies like airtel getting priority before any of our companies. Offcourse that doesn't mean I "hate" india.

India's foreign policies might not have been conducive to Bangladesh in the past, but recently we have see a lot of positives coming out of the efforts. With both economies on a threshold of growth, it becomes imperative to develop on a stronger co-operation. The border killings have been a little harsh on the part of the BSF, but you should also try to see the reasons behind such action.

Of course the illegal immigration and trading activities have been a sour apple in the relations, but you should not discount these factors when evaluating the strong action by the BSF forces. Our resources are also limited to guard our borders in order to prevent these activities... and I believe BGB also has similar responsibility in preventing people from illegally crossing the border.

I have a positive outlook towards the improving relations and as the article mentions the signs of diplomacy are clearly visible.

[GodlessBastard]

There is no such thing as pro india or anti india. One might like India and still hate the international polices of India. Just like most of us, don't like the american foreign polices, but still live there. This two are independent of each other, and its really annoying when people try two draw a line between the two.
Anyways, I'm not "anti india" as you might say, but I do have severee problem with BSF shooting to kill innocent civilians. I do have issues with foreign companies like airtel getting priority before any of our companies. Offcourse that doesn't mean I "hate" india.

Fair enough. I have no problem if you oppose India's foreign policy, as I myself am opposed to it, along with many other Indians.

The only thing that concerns me are the people that actually hate India as a country, and not just its policies but its people as a whole.

[desioptimist]

Some bangladeshis hate india and some like India. Dont go by what people here tell, this is a self selected group.
Some of the things Indians say here is shameful, hope people dont judge us as bunch of racist rightwing pricks.

[Jackdaws]

Bangladesh is failing because millions of your countrymen are illegally immigrating to a country that is also quite poor (India), but still better than Bangladesh.

No one else besides Bangladeshis want to immigrate to India. Ask yourself why that is.

This is incorrect. We give asylum to Chinese citizens, to Lankans and to Pakistani Hindus as well.

[damiendehorn]

Bangladesh is failing because millions of your countrymen are illegally immigrating to a country that is also quite poor (India), but still better than Bangladesh.

No one else besides Bangladeshis want to immigrate to India. Ask yourself why that is.

So you’re saying that only Bangladeshis want to immigrate to india, what does that say about india? By that same definition india is also a failing state, try and find out how many Indians are trying to illegally enter the UK and other countries to get a better economic opportunity.

I make statements like this only because of the anti-India jokers on this forum, many of whom are Bangladeshi ex-pats who like to criticize India in the comfort of their Western homes. I have never been to Bangladesh, so I don't know the "average guy on the street" feels about India, but I highly doubt all Bangladeshis are rabidly anti-Indian like the people here. I assume there are a mix of pro-Indian and anti-Indian Bangladeshis, with most being just neutral.

Like you’re not anti-Muslim/Bangladeshi, give it a rest. I have read more patronizing and condescending remarks from you Indians in the guise of “friendly advice”, and as for what us Bangladeshis think, what should you care?

Here is a recent example of what indians say....

awsum news kill all those who try to get in my country shoot them in the head kill them then and there

Ahh the the love!

[GodlessBastard]

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This is incorrect. We give asylum to Chinese citizens, to Lankans and to Pakistani Hindus as well.

Are Bangladeshis immigrating to India to seek asylum?

If not, then you are comparing two unlike things.

So you’re saying that only Bangladeshis want to immigrate to india, what does that say about india? By that same definition india is also a failing state, try and find out how many Indians are trying to illegally enter the UK and other countries to get a better economic opportunity.

Your logic makes no sense here. Are you comparing India with the UK? I don't think the level of economic development is the same in those two countries.

Like you’re not anti-Muslim/Bangladeshi, give it a rest. I have read more patronizing and condescending remarks from you Indians in the guise of “friendly advice”, and as for what us Bangladeshis think, what should you care?

I am from Hyderabad. I grew up with as many Muslim friends as Hindus, probably more. I am not anti-Muslim, so get that concept out of your head.

Anti-Bangladeshi? I dislike the state and its policies, yes. I dislike the fact that Bangladeshi immigrants are stealing Indian jobs, stretching Indian resources, becoming a major security concern for India, and generally causing misery for the Indians living in Assam, Tripura, and other NE states. But I cannot dislike the Bangladeshi people. In the end, you are just Bengalis, and there are plenty of Bengalis in India as well. How can I hate one and like the other?