2001 Indian–Bangladeshi border conflict

2001 Indian–Bangladeshi border conflict

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict = 2001 Indian-Bangladesh border conflict
colour_scheme = background:#91ACDB
casus = Claims of intrusion of troops on both sides.
date = April 18, 2001 - May 31, 2001
place = India-Bangladesh border
result = Status quo ante bellum
combatant1 = 118th BSF Bn 300 soldiers [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010422/main1.htm BSF men tortured, then shot dead] ]
combatant2 = 12 border-post soldiers (Bangladesh Rifles)
commander1 =
commander2 =
strength1 =
strength2 =
casualties1 = 22 killed according to Bangladesh, 18 killed according to India [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010421/main2.htm India accepts bodies of 15 BSF men] ] [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010422/main1.htm#2 Slain BSF personnel] ]
casualties2 = 2 killed according to both sides [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1283068.stm BBC South Asia] ]

The 2001 Indian-Bangladeshi border conflict was a short armed conflict between border guards of India and Bangladesh over the poorly marked international border between the countries during 2001. Though there had been previous border skirmishes, this conflict was significantly greater in scale.

Cause

The border of India and Bangladesh was one of a number of disputes that arose as a result of the Partition of Bengal, which had left a poorly demarcated international border between the two neighbours. Ownership of several villages on both sides of the de facto border were disputed and claimed by both countries.

One of the disputed areas was a small sliver of land near the village of Pyrdiwah which the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) had occupied since the 1971 liberation of Bangladesh. Bangladesh claimed that the village was within its territory. [http://www.nautilus.org/archives/sand/Updates2001/V2N17.html South Asia Nuclear Dialogue] , "nautilus.org"]

Conflict

On April 18, troops of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) occupied the disputed village. India claimed that Bangladeshi troops overran and occupied a disputed border village near the town of Dauki, and that Bangladeshi troops were holding more than 20 of its soldiers hostage. Bangladesh insisted that Indian forces launched an early morning attack on their posts in the frontier district of Kurigram, which lay on the border with the Indian state of Assam, on the morning of Wednesday 18 April 2001.

Indian forces eventually responded and retook the village. The combat remained limited to the border troops of the respective nations, though mortars were used in addition to automatic weapons fire. Between 10,000 and 20,000 villagers living in the area fled the fighting, with at least 17 suffering wounds. Several villages were destroyed or heavily damaged in the fighting. Bangladesh claimed that 15 members of India's border forces, the BSF were killed, along with several of the attacking soldiers. However, India claimed a far lower death toll.

The Indian and Bangladesh governments quickly intervened and defused the tension. Top Indian border security sources claimed that the BDR personnel had retreated in the Meghalaya sector, while in the Assam sector, the Indian BSF had vacated positions seized from Bangladesh. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010420/main1.htm Guns fall silent on border] , "Tribune India"] Fresh clashes erupted along the India-Bangladesh border just hours after both sides voiced regret for the recent killings, but by midnight of April 20 firing had again fallen silent. An article reported that 6,000 Indian civilians had fled the region, and Indian government officials were attempting to convince villagers to return to their homes.

Result

The Indian BSF agreed to take back bodies of five of its soldiers at Rowmari sector, whilst the other 11-17 were still 'missing'. Bangladesh later agreed to return the dead Indian soldiers the next day. The Bangladeshi side also asked the BSF to furnish proof that the land they had occupied was part of India..

Several of the Indian dead appeared to have suffered brutal, non-combat deaths, which were blamed on mob violence perpetuated by Bangladesh civilians. India accused Bangladesh of violating a war crimes statute in the Geneva Convention. [http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/04/26/india.police/index.html India accuses Bangladesh of war crimes] , "CNN"]

Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Raminder Jassal reported that both India and Bangladesh expressed regret over the incident and promised to exercise restraint in the future.

Aftermath

The India and Bangladesh started talks in March 2002 to resolve their border disputes. [http://www.historyguy.com/india-bangladesh_2001.htm] Lee, R. "The History Guy: India-Bangladesh Border Conflict (2001)".]

The end of the short conflict saw an upsurge of Bangladeshi nationalism in Bangladesh. In parliamentary elections, the four-party right wing alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh won a majority 196 seats out of 300.

The relations between the two neighbours deteriorated. This was the first armed conflict between India and Bangladesh, two nations that had maintained friendly relations since Bengali independence in 1971. [http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/04/26/india.police/index.html India accuses Bangladesh of war crimes] , "CNN.com"] Officially India blamed the fighting on "adventurism of its local commanders" and denied it had initiated hostilities.

Despite its claims, Bangladesh ordered no court martials, suspensions, or transfers of any local commanders. [http://mea.gov.in/opinion/2001/04/27ht.htm Bangladesh used us as a punching bag] , "mea.giv.in"] . Both sides desisted from any further hostilities and began border talks to discuss disputes along their four-thousand-kilometre border. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1889458.stm Bangladesh and India begin border talks] , "BBC"]

India later began constructing a fence along the entire length of the international border with Bangladesh. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4622317.stm Livelihoods on line at Indian border] , "BBC"] [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030217/edit.htm#3Problem of Bangladeshi migrants] India is still in the process of constructing the Indo-Bangladeshi barrier. [cite web |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article589627.ece |title=India fences off Bangladesh to keep out Muslim terror |accessdate=2007-07-11] Bangladesh protested that construction of the fence within 150 yards of the border was a gross violation of the 1974 treaty. [http://english.people.com.cn/200504/17/eng20050417_181457.html 3 killed in Bangladesh-Indian border guards cross fire] , People's Daily Online, China, April 17, 2005.] The Bangladesh government also protested frequent Border Security Force (BSF) incursions inside Bangladesh, and shootings which resulted in deaths of many Bangladeshi citizens inside Bangladeshi territory.cite news |title=Border tension flares as BSF kills 2 more |last=Staff Correspondent |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/04/24/d5042401022.htm |publisher=The Daily Star |date=2005-04-24 |accessdate=2007-04-19] In a news conference in August 2008, Indian BSF officials admitted that they killed 59 people (34 Bangladeshis, 21 Indians, rest unidentified) who were trying to cross the border during the prior six months. [http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-35156020080824 India says 59 killed over last six months on Bangladesh border] , Reuters, August 24, 2008.]

Notes

External links

*http://www.historyguy.com/india-bangladesh_2001.htm
*http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010420/main1.htm
*http://mea.gov.in/opinion/2001/04/27ht.htm
*http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/04/26/india.police/index.html
*http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=127&page=25
*http://www.nautilus.org/archives/sand/Updates2001/V2N17.html

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