Touhid criticises continued border killings along Bangladesh-India border

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has expressed strong dissatisfaction over continued border killings along the Bangladesh-India border, calling it the “only border in the world where civilians are shot dead despite the absence of war.”

Speaking to journalists on Sunday at 5:30pm after inspecting the designated site for the upcoming 1,000-bed China-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital in Nilphamari, he described the situation as deeply unfortunate and reiterated Bangladesh’s consistent condemnation of such incidents.

Touhid said, “If the BSF had entered our territory and carried out such actions, we would have taken measures. We would have even instructed the BGB to respond. But since these incidents take place inside Indian territory, we have no way to forcibly stop them. We are doing everything within our capacity, and we cannot do more than that.”

He highlighted that border killings persisted even during periods when relations between Bangladesh and India were described as being at their “golden era.”

“Even when there was widespread rhetoric about unprecedentedly warm relations, border killings did not stop. No matter how good relations are, Indian policy or actions cannot be controlled by Bangladesh,” he noted.

He further added, “Now it is being said that there is tension in the Bangladesh-India relationship. You can draw your own conclusions.”

Regarding repeated incidents at the border, he said Bangladesh regularly condemns such events, issues protest notes, and urges India to prevent them, “yet they continue to happen.”

He urged citizens living in border areas to remain vigilant to avoid similar tragedies.

When asked about India’s “Chicken’s Neck”—the narrow Siliguri Corridor linking mainland India to its northeastern states—Touhid dismissed the idea that it was a concern for Bangladesh.

“The Chicken’s Neck belongs to India, not us. We are not going to capture it. Whatever India chooses to do with it is their matter. India and China have their own issues; they may be concerned about those. That is not our issue. We will stay away from such matters. Our relations with these countries have nothing to do with the Chicken’s Neck,” he stated.

The adviser emphasised that Bangladesh would maintain a cautious and independent stance while continuing diplomatic efforts to address border-related concerns.