Key Findings
- At least 2,000+ Bangladeshis killed by BSF since 2000—an average of 80 deaths per year for 25 years
- 2024-2025 recorded the highest killings in five years: 64 deaths in just two years
- Zero BSF personnel prosecuted in 25 years—complete impunity despite India’s ICCPR obligations
- India’s shoot-on-sight policy violates binding international law, including jus cogens norms
- Bangladesh can pursue ICC action using the Rohingya precedent—crimes affecting ICC member states
- The pattern of killings may constitute crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute
25 Years of Systematic Killing
The India-Bangladesh border stretches 4,096 kilometers—the world’s fifth-longest land border. For Bangladeshi civilians living along this line, it has become a killing field. The Border Security Force (BSF) operates under a controversial “shoot-on-sight” policy that has claimed over 2,000 Bangladeshi lives since 2000.
This is not a border dispute. This is systematic violence against unarmed civilians.
The Data: 2000-2025
| Period | Killed | Injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2000-2006 | 607 | 663 |
| 2000-2020 | 1,236 | 1,145 |
| 2009-2025 | 625+ | 808 |
| Total | ~2,000+ | ~1,800+ |
An average of 80 Bangladeshi civilians killed per year for a quarter century.
Recent Spike: 2024-2025
| Year | Killed | Shot Dead | Tortured to Death |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 42 | 35 | 7 |
| 2021 | 18 | 16 | 2 |
| 2022 | 23 | 19 | 4 |
| 2023 | 31 | 28 | 3 |
| 2024 | 30 | 25 | 5 |
| 2025 | 34 | 24 | 10 |
2024-2025 recorded the highest border killings in five years: 64 deaths in just two years—despite India’s repeated pledges to reduce killings to “zero.”
Who Dies at the Border?
| Victim Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Cattle traders | 45% |
| Farmers | 30% |
| Day laborers | 15% |
| Children & minors | 5% |
| Others | 5% |
As Human Rights Watch documented in their landmark 2010 report “Trigger Happy”:
“Routinely shooting poor, unarmed villagers is not how the world’s largest democracy should behave.”
Zero Accountability in 25 Years
Legal Framework for Immunity
| Legal Protection | Effect |
|---|---|
| Armed Forces Special Powers Act | Immunity from prosecution without government approval |
| BSF Act, 1968 | Special tribunals for BSF personnel |
| Result | Zero prosecutions in 25 years |
Felani Khatun: A Symbol of Injustice
Broken Promises
| Year | Pledge | Reality |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | “Rubber bullets” promised after Felani case | Never meaningfully implemented |
| 2020 | DG-level pledge: “Bring killings to zero” | 42 killed that year |
| 2021 | BSF Chief promises “zero deaths” | 18 killed |
| Feb 2025 | BGB-BSF conference: “Zero incident” | 8 killed in following two months |
International Law Violations
India’s BSF killings violate multiple binding international instruments:
| Legal Instrument | Provision Violated | India’s Status |
|---|---|---|
| ICCPR Article 6 | Right to life (non-derogable) | Ratified 1979 |
| ICCPR Article 7 | Prohibition of torture | Ratified 1979 |
| Customary Int’l Law | Prohibition of extrajudicial killing | Jus cogens |
The ICCPR explicitly prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life. Article 6 is non-derogable—India cannot legally suspend it even in emergencies. The BSF’s shoot-on-sight policy is a direct violation.
Crimes Against Humanity?
Under the Rome Statute (Article 7), crimes against humanity occur when prohibited acts are “committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population.”
| Element | BSF Pattern |
|---|---|
| Widespread | 2,000+ deaths over 25 years across 4,096 km border |
| Systematic | Official “shoot-on-sight” policy; consistent pattern |
| Civilian population | Farmers, laborers, children—unarmed civilians |
As Indian human rights activist Kirity Roy of MASUM states:
“The new Bangladesh government could file cases with the International Criminal Court. Even the general public has the right to petition the ICC.”
Legal Options for Bangladesh
| Action | Forum | Likelihood |
|---|---|---|
| File ICC complaint | ICC | Medium (jurisdiction challenge) |
| Petition UNHRC | UN | Medium (political barriers) |
| Document for prosecution | Domestic/International | High (builds record) |
The Rohingya Precedent: The ICC asserted jurisdiction over Myanmar officials for crimes partially occurring in ICC member state Bangladesh. The same logic could apply to BSF killings of Bangladeshi nationals.