Various Indian media outlets released highly fictitious and malicious propaganda against Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members including troops and officers earlier this week.
In their fake news reports they claimed “BGB personnel were court martialed” and that “BGB battalion and sector commanders were transferred” relating to an incident on 17 October 2019 where a BSF head constable was killed and another constable injured after the BGB retaliated against their unprovoked attack inside Bangladesh territory.
The truth of the matter is Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is a paramilitary organisation operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is not therefore a military force, thus there is no scope for court martial to be held. The Indian report also wrongly claimed “BGB DIG”. There is no rank in BGB such as Deputy Inspector General (DIG). BGB is not a Police force either!
This is not the first time the Indian media ran totally false stories about the 17 October 2019 incident. They tried to make it look like BGB was in the wrong when it was BSF that intruded in to Bangladesh firstly, then tried to snatch away an Indian fisherman from BGB custody (after assaulting the Indian national in front of BGB and Bangladeshi eye witnesses). When BGB resisted their illegal acts they started shooting at BGB.
BGB responded in self-defence, in accordance with its standard operating procedures and under Bangladeshi law to resist the foreign aggressors. Far from being punished the BGB personnel are to be awarded at BGB Week for their heroism at the face of Indian aggression.
Lieutenant Colonel Ferdous Ziauddin Mahmud, the Rajshahi BGB 1-Battalion Commanding Officer (CO) has confirmed to media he is serving as the unit’s commander and has not been transferred. His personnel are also performing their regular duties.
The Lieutenant Colonel has urged people not to propagate false stories released by the Indian media designed to discredit Bangladesh.
At the end of the day BSF knows very well what they have done, which is why they could not pursue the matter further. They tried alternative ways to harm the BGB but that has also failed.
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has attempted to push-in Indian Muslim nationals at several points of the Rajshahi frontier, which has been resisted strongly by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladeshi villagers living near the Bangladesh-India border. Hundreds of villagers in border areas have come forward to help BGB to conduct night patrols for preventing intrusion by Indian nationals.
The acts of Indian media might have been done for profit however BSF itself cannot be excused for their routine acts of criminality on the border. People in Bangladesh remember the callous murder of Felani and worse still the failure of the Indian justice system to punish the murderers because they were members of the BSF.
India’s aggressive policy on the border is ensuring its own embarrassment. The BSF is perhaps the biggest threat to India’s efforts to sustain a good relationship with Bangladesh. It is little wonder that vast majority of Bangladeshi’s today view India with suspicion if not outright contempt.
Photo: DBC News
