Since the fall of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, changes have been visible in every sector. These have included both positive and negative changes, such as the collapse of the Bangladesh Police, the rise of vigilante justice, and accusations against former Awami League (AL) leaders and activists with fabricated charges, reminiscent of tactics from previous autocratic regimes.
Among the changes, anti-Indian sentiment among the people has snowballed due to India’s support for Hasina, which helped her stay in power for 15 years. Bangladeshis have also decried some Indian media’s exaggerated reporting on attacks on minorities, especially on Hindus, after Hasina’s flight. The recent massive flooding, where many experts and the public accused India of failing to notify Bangladesh before opening the floodgates of the Dumbur Hydroelectric Plant in Tripura, has further fueled this sentiment.
On August 23, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser for the Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Ministry, criticized India for its failure to notify Bangladesh before opening the gates of the Dumbur dam. While visiting a flooded area in Bangladesh, she told journalists that India is supposed to provide advance notice before releasing water, but the protocol was not followed.
Amid the tumultuous situation, the Bangladesh-India border – one of the deadliest in the world – has become a focal point as the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has taken a newly strong stance.
Brig. Gen. (Retd.) M. Sakhawat Hossain, originally recruited as an adviser to the Home Affairs Ministry in the interim government, but now an adviser to the Ministries of Textiles and Jute and Shipping, instructed the BGB to adopt a firm stance on border defense. According to Hossain, the former AL government “told the BGB, who are supposed to protect the border, to turn their backs… That will not happen anymore.”
The adviser made these remarks during a briefing held after his visit to the BGB headquarters in Dhaka on August 13.
Members of the BGB recently stopped an attempt by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) members to erect a barbed wire fence along the border in Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat. According to BGB members and local residents, on a Wednesday afternoon, some BSF members started constructing a barbed wire fence along a section of the border in Dahagram Union, Bangladesh. Members of the BSF brought a large amount of barbed wire and construction materials to the site.
When locals and the BGB members noticed, they protested, leading the BSF to halt the work.
Lt. Col. Selim Al Din, commander of the BGB battalion involved, stated, “We strongly protested and obstructed the work. In the evening, a flag meeting was held between the battalions of both countries near the incident site. For now, the fence construction work is halted.”
However, a BSF top official had a different story. He told to The Hindustan Times that BSF personnel were supervising the construction of the cattle fence, claiming it was not a border fence.
“The fence was being built to ensure that cattle from one country don’t stray into another, which often causes disputes between village residents on either side,” added the official. The BGB personnel came over and objected, he said.
Another BSF official said on condition of anonymity that the cattle fence was being built as per a 2012 agreement between the two countries.
The run-in over the fence was not the only incident along the Bangladesh-India border since Hasina’s ouster.
On August 25, the BGB engaged in a confrontation with Indian smugglers near Satkhira, a southern district bordered by West Bengal, India. The BGB fired five rounds of blank bullets to disperse the smugglers, who then fled into the dense forest on the Indian side. During the operation, the BGB arrested several individuals and recovered a significant haul of contraband, including 252 bottles of Indian Phensedyl, 51 bottles of liquor, and two sharp weapons.
Three days later, on August 28, the BGB and local villagers stopped BSF members from cutting the Ballamukha dam along the Feni border. The BSF attempted to cut through the dam at the border near Kalikapur in Mirzanagar Union of Parashuram upazila, which could have led to severe flooding in the area. Reportedly, the BSF was working with Indian locals, who hoped to relieve flooding on their side of the border by damaging the dam in Bangladesh. The BGB, along with local residents, intervened and prevented the BSF from proceeding.
The border between India and Bangladesh has a long history of violence and illegal activities. According to Ain o Salish Kendra, a human rights organization in Bangladesh, 332 people were killed by the BSF at the Indo-Bangladesh border between 2013 and 2023, which translates to about 30 people per year. Most of these incidents involved Bangladeshi citizens trying to cross over for some reasons such as cattle smuggling and illegal migration. Also, locals report that the BSF has abducted or shot innocent farmers and minors near the border several times.
The recent assertive actions of the BGB are quite a change from what it did during Hasina’s pro-India regime. During Hasina’s rule, the BGB was frequently criticized for being ineffective in border issues. To many Bangladeshis, the killing of BGB member Mohammad Rais Uddin at the hands of the BSF in January 2024 was a sign of how weak and unsteady the BGB was.
Hossain referenced such episodes in his remarks on August 13: “Our men were killed on the border, and the BGB was forced to hold a flag meeting… and it was declared that everything is okay… Enough is enough.”
The recent actions of the BGB demonstrate a significant shift toward a more assertive and proactive approach. This newfound strength in the BGB’s stance could lead to a more secure and controlled border, potentially reducing illegal activities and enhancing national security. The future may see the BGB continuing to assert its authority, ensuring that Bangladesh’s borders are respected and protected.
The BGB’s proactive measures in preventing illegal activities and protecting the border have been welcomed by many Bangladeshis as a commitment to national security and sovereignty. Nonetheless, the growing strain at the border also gives rise to fears of possible exacerbation.
For many years, the BSF’s long disputed “shoot-on-sight” strategy has been a primary source of conflict, resulting in several deaths of innocent civilians. Human rights groups have repeatedly requested that this practice be abolished since it contravenes global norms on human rights.
The future of Bangladesh-India border relations now hinges on both countries’ capacity for constructive dialogue and cooperation. While the BGB’s heightened posture may deter illegal activities, it is important that both countries address the underlying problems causing border tensions. Improved communication, joint efforts at border management, and respect for human rights should form the basis for a more peaceful and secure border environment.
The changed border policy in Bangladesh is indicative of the changed political outlook in the wake of Hasina’s exit. As much as the BGB’s hard stance may be appreciated by Bangladeshis, the underlying causes of tension along the border can only be systematically resolved through mutual understanding between Bangladesh and India. Increased communication and joint efforts between the two nations could bring into being a far more peaceful and secure border environment than either side could achieve on its own.