TENSION along Bangladesh’s borders with India and Myanmar continues to escalate amid a series of troubling incidents, including push-ins, border killing by India’s Border Security Force and landmine explosion and abduction by Myanmar’s rebel group Arakan Army. The persistent pattern of abuse and violence against Bangladeshis in the frontiers remains a matter of grave concern. According to a statement that the Human Rights Support Society released on March 10, Indian guards have killed 305 Bangladeshis in the past decade. In 2025 alone, 26 were killed and 25 injured. In 2024, the death toll reached 47. Most disturbingly, the Indian guards have reportedly resumed the inhumane practice of pushing people into Bangladesh. More than 1,300 people, including Indians and Rohingyas registered as refugees in India, have been forced into the territory since May 7, without following any legal procedure. On June 10, 32 more were pushed into Bangladesh through various points in Thakurgaon, Dinajpur and Meherpur. The Indian guards have also continued erecting fences or other structures on the no man’s land, violating laws and agreements.
While the Indian guards have been the primary violator in border-related incidents, similar and increasingly alarming incidents are taking place along the Myanmar frontiers. The Arakan Army, which reportedly controls about 80 per cent of Rakhine State, has engaged in violent attacks and abduction of Bangladeshis, with fishers being the most frequent targets. In April, Border Guard Bangladesh officials in Teknaf reported that the Arakan Army had abducted around 200 Bangladeshi fishers since it seized control of the Maungdaw township in December 2024. The Arakan Army has also seized Bangladeshi fishing boats on multiple occasions, instilling fear and creating uncertainty in the affected coastal communities. By mid-May, 175 of the abducted fishers and 27 fishing boats could, however, be brought back. Landmine explosion has, meanwhile, become an increasingly common and a deadly threat in areas bordering Myanmar. The incidents collectively expose serious security lapses and inadequate response by Bangladesh authorities, especially the ministries of home affairs and foreign affairs. Despite repeated assurances from New Delhi to end border violence, the Indian guards continue with the aggressive, unlawful activities with impunity. Dhaka’s apparently subservient posture towards India has, thus far, resulted into no meaningful outcomes and unless urgent, strategic measures are adopted, the situation with Myanmar’s Arakan Army risks following a similarly deteriorating path.
Dhaka should, therefore, get its act together to protect its frontiers and ensure the security of its people. Dhaka should urgently adopt a robust, multifaceted approach, politically, diplomatically and operationally. Dhaka should also boldly take up the issues with relevant regional and international forums to safeguard rights, dignity and lives of Bangladeshis.
