Killing of BSF jawan 'unfortunate', 'unexpected', inquiry underway: BGB DG

Director General of Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) Shafeenul Islam on Sunday termed the killing of a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan as "unexpected" and "unwarranted" adding that an inquiry in the incident is underway.

In October, BGB had opened fire on a BSF party, killing one Constable and injuring another when they were trying to trace an Indian fisherman along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.

Addressing the joint press conference with BSF DG Vivek Johri, Islam said, "The relations between the two forces have been cordial and friendly and it still is. The incident that took place was totally unexpected and unwarranted. Both the forces have taken a lesson out of it. We have taken steps so that such things do not happen in the future. An inquiry is in the process."

DG Islam did not elaborate on the steps taken by Bangladesh in this regard.

Head Constable Vijay Bhan Singh died after he received bullet injuries on his head.

Another Constable-cum-boatman received bullet injuries on his right hand. Following which, the BSF lodged an FIR against the BGB at a local police station in connection with the incident.

When asked from BSF DG Vivek Johri about the incident, he said that Islam had communicated with him following the unfortunate incident. Johri added that the BSF is waiting for the completion of inquiry. "Inquiry is still on. Till the inquiry is completed, to accept some definitive action will be uncalled for. We have to wait for the completion of the inquiry," he said.

Johri also said that BSF has taken several steps to avoid repetition of such incidents. "It was a very unfortunate, unwarranted, and unexpected incident that had taken place. There are lessons to be learnt from that," he further said,

Islam is leading an 11-member team for the 49th Director-General level Border Co-ordination Conference. The five days conference ended today with a joint conference.

The issues of border management were deliberated during the conference. Both forces agreed to work take strong measures to stop illegal border crossing.