Border killings are linked to crimes, says Jaishankar

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has attributed the controversial shootings by the Border Security Force along its frontier with Bangladesh to unchecked cross-border crimes.

Jaishankar spoke to the media after a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart AK Abdul Momen during his visit to Dhaka on Thursday.

“I think what we agree on is every death is regrettable. But we also ask ourselves why there is a problem? And we know the problem,” he said, linking the killings to frontier crimes.

He called for a 'shared objective' to curb crimes along the border to address the issue of border killings'.

"What is called ‘border killing’ actually takes place fairly deep inside India," said Jaishankar, adding that he has discussed the issue with Momen as neighbouring countries should.

Asked about the status of the Teesta water-sharing agreement, Jaishankar said Delhi's position on the matter remains unchanged. The water resources secretaries from both countries are likely to meet soon to discuss the issue further, according to him.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen attends a joint press conference after a meeting with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar at the state guest house Padma on Thursday, Mar 4, 2021. Photo: Asif Mahmud Ove

Highlighting the diplomatic bonhomie between Bangladesh and India, Jaishankar said, “There is no domain where we are not working (together) today. Our relationship is really 360 degrees and the more work we do, the more possibilities open up.”

Both countries are working on enhancing connectivity in the region, he said before repeating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's words that ‘connectivity is productivity.’

“If we can get connectivity between India and Bangladesh right, I can tell you the entire logistics and the whole geo-economics of the region will be changed. The Bay of Bengal will look very different.”

Jaishankar has made the trip to Dhaka to prepare the ground for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to celebrate 50 years of Bangladesh’s independence.

"As you know, we are working to prepare for the planned visit of our prime minister. It will be a very memorable visit: the prime minister’s first travel outside India since the coronavirus pandemic as well as his second as PM to Bangladesh," he said.

“We know that this is a very special year, when both countries mark the Mujib Barsho, 50 years of Bangladesh’s Liberation and 50 years of our bilateral relations. This truly highlights the importance we attach to these three anniversaries, as well as the enormous regard we have for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh.”

The relationship between Bangladesh and India "transcends orthodox partnerships", according to Jaishankar. “I believe our bonding is central to the realisation of the dream of a peaceful, prosperous and progressive South Asia.”

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attends a joint press conference after a meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul Momen at the state guest house Padma on Thursday, Mar 4, 2021. Photo: Asif Mahmud Ove

It is in pursuit of this vision that both sides have made remarkable progress in this relationship, especially since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assumption of office in May 2014. The significance of our ties with Bangladesh lies in its centrality for our ‘Neighbourhood First' and its growing relevance for our 'Act East' Policy. We see Bangladesh as a key neighbour and a valued partner not only in South Asia but also in the broader Indo-Pacific region," he added.

A third country can be roped into the connectivity initiatives, Jaishankar said. “We talked about Japan, as a possibility, because both of us have very good relations with Japan, and Japan is involved in connectivity projects in the Bay of Bengal.”

The Indian minister also stressed the need to foster the human aspect of the relationship between the two countries, which involves the people, education, health and culture.

“At the end of the day, relationships between countries are relationships between people. I think at the popular level our connection is very deep. Sometimes we let politics come in the way. I think we should harbour much more people-led relationships,” he said.

Foreign Minister Momen also highlighted Dhaka's commitment to taking its relations with Delhi to 'newer heights' by continuing to work together on a range of issues.

"We discussed a wide range of ongoing bilateral issues as well as bilateral interests that we can take forward in the days ahead. We focused on possible ways to materialise our commitments and how to prioritise and accommodate each other’s priorities in a mutually beneficial manner. COVID cooperation, connectivity, trade, water, security, border and lines of credit are some of the areas we discussed."

Addressing the upcoming visit of Modi, Momen said, "This is a landmark year for our two countries. We discussed some of the important activities that we plan to undertake jointly to celebrate these historic occasions."