Indian home secretary RK Singh on Tuesday termed ‘deaths’ the killing of Bangladesh nationals by the Border Security Force saying that such incidents took place when smugglers attacked BSF jawans.(The New Age BD )

‘It is not correct that border killing is on rise. Don’t call them killing…These are deaths,’ RK Singh said in response to reporters’ questions after the two-day home secretary level talks in Dhaka.

He said that the incidents of border killing had come down significantly this year.

‘Six Bangladeshis died on the border this year while the number was 11 last year…The number of BSF jawans being injured in one and half years by smugglers is 400,’ said the Indian home secretary who led an 11-member delegation to the 13th Bangladesh-India home secretary level meeting that concluded in the city on Tuesday evening.

The Indian side on several occasions earlier assured Bangladesh that they would show ‘zero tolerance’ to the killing of unarmed civilians in the frontiers.

‘We have strongly demanded that the border firing and

such other incidents must be stopped. We have informed our counterpart of the recent incidents,’ said Bangladesh home secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed, who led a 14-member team to the bilateral talks at a city hotel.

He said that India had assured them that the land boundary agreement between the two countries would be ratified in the next parliament session and the draft amendment to the constitution necessary for the ratification was ready for approval.

Once the Indira-Mujib land boundary agreement of 1974 was ratified, Mustaq said, all long pending border-related issues, including exchange of enclaves, border demarcation and the lands in adverse possessions would be settled.

During January and September, 2012, some 28 Bangladesh nationals were killed and 70 injured in firing by BSF, according to Dhaka-based rights organisation Odhikar. Furthermore, in the last nine months, 53 Bangladeshis were abducted allegedly by the BSF, said an Odhikar report.

At least 1,026 Bangladeshis were killed, 1,063 injured, 999 abducted and 23 raped allegedly by the Indian BSF and their nationals between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2012, according to the report.

Indian home minister P Chidambaram in July, 2011 assured his counterpart in Dhaka that clear instructions had been given to the BSF not to fire on unarmed people even if they were found making attempts to cross the border from either side.

Although both sides agreed that utmost restraints would be exercised to avoid human casualties along the border, rights watchdogs reported that a trigger-happy BSF continued killing unarmed Bangladeshi civilians.

Asked about the inquiry into the killing of Bangladeshi minor girl Felani, the Indian home secretary said the inquiries were continuing. He, however, said Felani was an innocent victim as she had just attempted to cross the border.

Felani Khatun was shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force on the Fulbari border under Kurigram district on January 7 in 2011.

Both sides reiterated their commitment to act against elements inimical to both the countries, said a joint statement. They also agreed to take measures for repatriation of released prisoners and victims of trafficking.