BSF extending its presence inside villages, 'abandoning' Indo-Bangladesh borders

By Kirity Roy*

This account addresses an incident of negligence by the Border Security Force (BSF) on the Indo-Bangladesh border, which resulted in a robbery affecting a poor villager, Bablu Gazi, from Hakimpur village, under the jurisdiction of Swarupnagar Police Station in the North 24 Parganas district.

The regions of Tarali and Hakimpur villages are located near the Indo-Bangladesh border along the Sonai River, also falling under Swarupnagar police jurisdiction. The BSF personnel at the Hakimpur Border Outpost of BSF Battalion No. 143 ‘D’ Company, led by Commander Sumohan Gosh, are responsible for safeguarding the area. Their primary role is to protect Indian citizens from any threats stemming from neighboring countries.

However, in recent years, the BSF has extended its presence into the villages, abandoning the actual border and establishing numerous illegal and unregistered checkpoints within village limits.

Investigations have indicated that while the BSF personnel set up checkpoints in Hakimpur bus station, located 1 to 1.5 kilometers inside the border, the actual border remains unpatrolled. This has led to increased illegal incursions from Bangladesh, resulting in distress for residents of Hakimpur.

Bablu Gazi has become one of the unfortunate victims in this scenario. His sole source of income is through animal husbandry, owning one cow and one calf. In the early hours of July 31, 2024, a group of trespassers from Bangladesh broke into his home, stole both animals, and escaped. The estimated value of these animals was around 100,000 rupees, and the cow produced approximately 10 kilograms of milk daily, which constituted Bablu Gazi's main income.

He filed a written complaint regarding this incident with the Block Development Officer (BDO) on the same day and also reported it to the Officer in Charge (OC) of Swarupnagar police station at 1:30 p.m. Although the OC accepted the complaint, he failed to register it in the General Diary or initiate a First Information Report (FIR), despite it being a cognizable offense.

Moreover, while BSF personnel from the G branch visited Bablu Gazi's residence on July 31, and police conducted a basic investigation on August 3, no further action has been taken by either entity to address the situation.

Such incidents are the result of BSF negligence and their choice to relocate checkpoints away from the actual border and into the villages. This shift has left the entire border area vulnerable to trespassers and smugglers, drastically affecting the villagers' lives.

The stationed BSF personnel bear responsibility for this theft due to their absence from the Bangladesh border and their potential connections with cross-border traffickers. The police in Swarupnagar, having close ties with the BSF, have also failed to fulfill their duties. Although the BDO received the victim's complaint, no action was initiated.

Consequently, there is an urgent need for National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) intervention as justice is being denied. It should ensure that:

- The BSF be repositioned along the actual border near the Sonai River, as was the practice previously, to ensure the protection of villagers' lives and livelihoods.

- The police conduct a thorough investigation into the case without delay.

- The victim’s family receive adequate protection and compensation. NHRC must investigate this incident and take legal measures to resolve the matter.

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*Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM). This article is based on the author's representation to the Acting Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission

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