NEW DELHI: India and Bangladesh on Sunday discussed the escalating tensions along the border and vowed to implement a “cooperative approach to combating crime.” This came after the Indian envoy to Bangladesh was summoned amid reports of increased tensions and disputes along the shared border arising due to some “unequal agreements signed during the previous government’s tenure.”
“We have an understanding regarding fencing the border for security purposes, and the two border forces, BSF and BGB, have been in regular communication,” Pranay Verma, Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh, told reporters after meeting with foreign secretary Jashim Uddin, the Daily Star reported.
“We expect that this understanding will be implemented and there will be a cooperative approach to combating crimes along the border,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s home affairs adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury had attributed the ongoing border issues to “unequal agreements” signed during the previous government’s tenure, which he said have led to several complications along the shared border.
“Due to some unequal agreements signed during the previous government’s tenure, several issues have arisen along the Bangladesh-India border,” he said.
Tensions heightened on Monday when the BSF’s attempt to install single-row barbed wire fencing at Sukdevpur in Malda’s Baishnabnagar faced objections from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), amid rising concerns over infiltration.
Although fencing work briefly resumed on Tuesday, it was halted again after a flag meeting between the two forces. The construction has remained suspended since then.