In December, 22-year-old Habibur Rahman was tortured by eight Indian army soldiers for being caught illegally crossing into Bangladesh with cows he had purchased in India. Now, a month later, he is still shaking from the brutal, almost 24-hour-long beating he received.

Cows are cheaper in India than Bangladesh, so Bangladeshis buy them across the border and smuggle them back inside to sell. But India has erected a 3,000-kilometre-long electrified and guarded fence between the two countries, purportedly to stop terrorism.

Every cow brought back earns around $20, but now Rahman must deal with the physical consequences of his trade and his fear that authorities will come looking for him again.

Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque reports from Shibganj, Bangladesh.

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