Cattle smuggling mainly responsible for border killings: Bangladesh minister

Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has claimed that cattle smuggling from India is a major cause for killings taking place along his country's border with India.

"If cattle smuggling reduces, so will the border killings. Already, the killings have come down at the border," The Daily Star quoted Khan, as saying on Thursday during a conference of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commanding officers.

"Having good ties with neighbouring countries ensures a safe border," said Khan.

Maj. Gen. Abul Hossain, Director General of the Border Guards said that presently the frequency of killing along the Bangladesh-India border is now at an all time low and that the Border Guard Bangladesh and the India's Border Security Force (BSF) are working together to bring border killings down to zero.

At least 31 people were killed, 39 injured and 24 abducted from the period January to November 2016 along the border, according to the human rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK).

Maj. Gen. Hossain, also demanded additional reinforcement of BGB at the border.

"For every six border outposts of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), we have only one," he said.