No govt responsibility if one killed while smuggling cattle

The government will not take the responsibility if anyone is shot to death along the border while bringing in cattle from India, said Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder yesterday.

He made the remarks while talking to reporters after attending the founding anniversary programme of Damkurahat High School in Poba upazila of Rajshahi.

“It’ll be pointless to blame others unless our character is good,” he said when asked about the shooting down of three Bangladeshi nationals by members of Indian Border Security Force in his constituency Porsha of Naogaon.

On January 23, the three Bangladeshis -- Sanjit Kumar, Mofizul Islam and Kamal Hossain -- were killed by BSF members along Doarpalla border in Porsha upazila of Naogaon.

BSF men also took away the bodies of two of the victims.

The minister said,  “We won’t allow anyone to bring cattle from India. Our upazila, district law-and-order committees and BGB adopted a resolution in this regard. Bangladesh government won’t take the responsibility if anyone is shot to death while bringing cattle cutting the barbed-wire fence. “

He also said efforts are on to bring back the bodies of the two Bangladeshis.

Border killing has been a contentious bilateral issue between the two neighbours who share a 4,100km border.

Delhi had promised to bring down border killings to zero over the years but the BSF continues to shoot dead Bangladeshis along the border.