Family members, rights activists and political parties on Wednesday observed the 15th anniversary of the murder of Felani Khatun, who was killed by India’s Border Security Force along the Kurigram border in 2011, calling for an end to border killings and Indian aggression against Bangladesh.
Felani’s family observed the day by offering prayers at her grave in their ancestral village in Kurigram and distributed food among poor people in the area.
In Dhaka, the police stopped the National Citizen Party’s ‘Anti-hegemony March’ from Shajadpur to Felani Avenue near the Indian High Commission in the afternoon. The NCP organised the demonstration to mark the day.
The NCP began the march from Shajadpur to Felani Avenue near the Indian High Commission.
‘Police intercepted the march near the Vatara police station, assuming that our march would advance towards the Indian High Commission,’ NCP senior joint convener Ariful Islam Adeeb said.
Later, the leaders and activists of the party ended the demonstration there after holding a brief rally.
To mark the day, the Jatiya Ganatantrik Party brought out a procession from the Bijaynagar area in Dhaka to protest at Indian aggression. The procession ended in front of the National Press Club on Topkhana Road in the city.
Rights organisation Odhikar, at a rally in front of the National Press Club in the capital, alleged that justice for Felani and other border killing victims was not ensured due to the failure and lack of political will of the ousted Sheikh Hasina–led Awami League regime, which, it said, wanted to remain in power.
Odhikar director Taskin Fahmina said that justice for Felani was not served although 15 years had passed.
‘On one hand, Indian BSF are killing and torturing innocent Bangladeshis, mostly ultra-poor people, along the border. On the other hand, India is providing shelter for influential killers from Bangladesh,’ said Taskin.
‘Every citizen of Bangladesh must be vigilant against Indian aggression and, at the same time, the Bangladesh government should take the issues of the Indian aggression to the international platforms,’ she demanded.
Quoting her organisation’s data, Taskin mentioned that 625 Bangladeshi citizens, including 25 children and teenagers, were shot or tortured to death by the BSF between 2009 and 2025.
During that time, 808 Bangladeshis were injured by BSF shooting or torture, she said, adding, ‘Not a single perpetrator of these killings and acts of torture was brought to justice.’
She also protested against India’s push-ins of about 2500 people, including Indian citizens and Rohingyas, into Bangladesh in the past year.
Odhikar director ASM Nasiruddin Elan said that the murder of Felani and hanging the body on the barbed-wire fence for five hours shocked the people at home and abroad.
‘But her (Felani’s) family did not get justice as Hasina was an Indian sympathizer,’ alleged Elan, adding that the rights activists then stood to protest against Indian aggression against Bangladesh.
Mohadeb Sinha, the father of a 15-year-old Jayanta Kumar Sinha who was shot dead by the BSF along Thakurgaon border in September 2024, addressed the rally and demanded justice for his son and other border killing victims.
Felani Khatun, then a 15-year-old girl, was shot dead by the BSF along the Anantapur border under Phulbari upazila in Kurigram on January 7, 2011, when she was returning home crossing barbed-wire fences erected by India. She was the eldest child among five siblings.
Bangladesh’s interim government in December 2025 renamed the road stretching from Gulshan-2 to Pragati Sarani ‘Felani Avenue’ in memory of Felani.
On July 29, 2015, Fenali’s father and Kirity Roy of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha, in short Masum, jointly filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court of India, praying that a Central Bureau of Investigation team should be formed comprising officers from outside of West Bengal to take over the investigation of the case and prosecute the offenders.
