Border Security Force (BSF) chief Daljit Singh Chaudhary said that illegal infiltration of Bangladeshis has reduced to a great extent after the change of power last year. He said that this has been possible with the help of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). He has asked BGB to ensure security on the border so that things like infiltration, attacks on BSF jawans and civilians do not happen.
Border Security Force (BSF) chief Daljit Singh Chaudhary and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Chief Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui discussed many issues in the three-day meeting, in which India’s focus was on illegal infiltration, attacks on BSF soldiers and civilians, violent incidents with Hindu minorities. At the same time, Bangladesh raised the issue of fencing being done by India in a distance of 150 yards near the zero line.
The 55th Director General level border talks between the two countries were held in Delhi from February 17 to 20. According to news agency PTI, BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chaudhary said that during the meeting, the Indian side urged the BGB to ensure that the border remains completely safe and there is no infiltration on the border so that there are no incidents of attacks on BSF personnel and local Indians by Bangladeshi criminals.
Daljit Singh Chaudhary said, ‘The issue of attacks on BSF and civilians by Bangladeshi miscreants was raised… The Government of India follows a non-lethal strategy (use of non-lethal weapons first on the border)… Sometimes, taking advantage of the darkness of night and breaking the fence, some miscreants try to enter our area and then try to overpower or overpower the BSF personnel…’
When asked about incidents of illegal infiltration from Bangladesh into India, the two chiefs said that such incidents have reduced along the 4,096-km-long international border after August 5 last year. Daljit Singh Choudhary said, “Infiltration has reduced significantly and this has been possible with the active help of the BGB. During the entire crisis (fall of the previous government), the BGB stood shoulder to shoulder with us and helped us maintain peace on the border.”
Regarding the fencing-related issues discussed during the three-day talks that concluded at the BSF headquarters on Thursday, the BGB DG said they highlighted the number of possible cases where development works are being constructed near the international border and this was the most focused agenda during the latest talks.
When asked if the agendas of both sides have changed after Sheikh Hasina’s exit from power and Mohammad Yunus’ government coming to power, the BGB DG said that broadly the topics may be the same, but the issues within them and their context have changed and there are many new issues under the common heads…’ At the same time, the BSF chief said that the agendas were the same, but there have been some changes in them because the India-Bangladesh border is a very dynamic and active border.
