Dhaka lodges formal protest over BSF killing of Shwarna Das: Ministry of External Affairs

Bangladesh has lodged a formal protest with the Indian government over the killing of a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl, Shwarna Das from Juri upazila in Moulvibazar district, who was shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on September 1, 2024, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

“In a protest note sent to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka today, Bangladesh has strongly protested and condemned such cruel acts and expressed deep concern over these incidents,” reads a press release issued by the ministry today (September 5).

“The Government of Bangladesh recalled that such incidents of border killings are undesirable and unjustified and such actions are in violation of the provisions of the Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines for Border Authorities, 1975,” it added.

Bangladesh also called on India to stop repeating such heinous acts, investigate all border killings, identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

According to media reports, the BSF handed over the body of Shwarna Das to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Tuesday evening — 45 hours after the incident.

Shwarna was the daughter of Porendra Das, a resident of Kalnigar village in Paschim Juri union under Juri upazila.

She was fatally shot by BSF personnel when she and others tried to cross the border into India near the Lalarchak border with Sharifpur union in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar, The Business Standard reported on Wednesday (September 4).

Binoy Bhusan Roy, officer-in-charge of Kulaura police station, said the body was returned to the girl’s family after completing all necessary legal procedures.

BGB-46 Battalion Lalarchak Border Outpost Patrol (BOP) Commander Naik Obaid said a flag meeting of the BGB and BSF has been convened to discuss the situation.

Swarna’s father, Porendra Das, told media that Swarna and her mother had tried to illegally cross the border into India on Sunday evening to visit his eldest son, who lives in Tripura. They were helped by two local intermediaries.

Around 9 pm, as they reached the barbed wire fence, BSF personnel opened fire, killing Swarna on the spot. Swarna’s mother narrowly escaped the shots.

“A couple from Chattogram who were with them also sustained injuries during the incident. After the shooting stopped, Swarna’s mother and the others took shelter in a house in Lalarchak village. Later, the injured couple was reportedly shifted to MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital in Sylhet for treatment,” he added.