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BDR fired in self-defence: Dhaka

A day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed spoke to her Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bangladesh sought to give a new twist to the killing of Border Security Force personnel, claiming that the Bangladesh Rifles "had to open fire in self-defence".

Foreign Secretary Syed Muazeem Ali, who briefed the press on Monday on the telephonic talk between the two prime ministers, made no mention of Sheikh Hasina having made any direct expression of regret for the torture and killing of the BSF personnel.

A carefully worded statement read out by Ali said the Bangladeshi prime minister expressed deep shock and grief at the unnecessary and avoidable loss of lives "on both sides".

While assuring Vajpayee that necessary investigations would be done to ascertain the "correct position", she "requested the Indian prime minister also to investigate and find out the detailed position" about the incident in Boraibari along the Assam border.

Referring to the incident in Pyrdiwah village in Meghalaya, the statement said Sheikh Hasina told Vajpayee the "BDR troops had encircled the BSF camp when the latter was trying to construct a pucca road connecting the BSF camp with the Indian territories. There was no casualty or injury."

She, however, told Vajpayee that "the second incident in Roumari (Boraibari) resulted in casualties when the BDR troops were under attack and they had to open fire in self-defence," the statement said.

On the outrage and shock over the torture of the BSF troopers and the mutilation of their bodies, the statement merely said Vajpayee "also referred to their views expressed earlier, on the treatment meted out to the dead bodies of BSF personnel".

The foreign secretary said Sheikh Hasina had emphasised that the recent border incident had once again highlighted the urgent need to complete the 'unfinished task' of full implementation of the Indira-Mujib Accord of 1974, which she believed would help both sides avoid the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents.

Ali said the two leaders agreed that as per the last senior official-level meeting, two task forces would be constituted soon to expedite the process of implementation of the accord and both sides would proceed in the matter in a spirit of friendship and co-operation.

Sheikh Hasina also used the occasion to observe that Indo-Bangladesh relations were time-tested and that such incidents would not change the nature or thrust of friendly ties between the countries.

In this context, she recalled that Bangladeshi and Indian troops had fought side by side for the country's liberation.

During the 30-minute conversation, Sheikh Hasina informed Vajpayee that as soon as she heard the news about the border incidents, she had asked all the authorities concerned to defuse the situation and de-escalate tension.

The Bangladeshi prime minister said she was happy to note that "the Indian government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Vajpayee, responded in the same spirit and understanding, and as a result, it was possible to defuse the situation within the shortest possible time".

The foreign ministers and the border security agencies of the two countries are in constant touch now, she said.

The two leaders maintained that the existing "exemplary friendly and cordial ties between the two countries would be maintained and further strengthened and that both sides would take all necessary measures so that such incidents do not recur".

PTI

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