NEW DELHI: A border talk is to take place between India and Bangladesh between February 17 and 20, with issues such as fence construction, and attacks on BSF personnel and civilians by Bangladeshi miscreants set to be among the top discussion points.
The 55th Director General-Level Border Coordination Conference between BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be organised at the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters here between February 17-20 February, an official statement said on Friday.
In the first high-level meeting since the Sheikh Hasina government was ousted in August last year, BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chawdhary will lead the Indian delegation, while Maj General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui will represent the BGB during the talks.
The conference aims to enhance coordination between the two border forces and address pressing security concerns, according to a BSF statement.
The discussions will focus on preventing attacks on BSF personnel and Indian civilians by miscreants based in Bangladesh, strategies to curb cross-border crimes, the construction of a single-row fence, and action against Indian insurgent groups operating in Bangladesh.
Further, both sides will deliberate on border infrastructure development, joint efforts under the Coordinated Border Management Plan, and confidence-building measures.
The previous round of these bi-annual talks took place in Dhaka in March last year.
The India-Bangladesh border, spanning 4,096 km, runs through five Indian states: West Bengal (2,217 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km), and Mizoram (318 km). The BSF serves as the primary security and intelligence agency responsible for managing this frontier.
Relations between the two nations have faced challenges in recent months, particularly in December, when both countries summoned each other’s high commissioners over border-related disputes.
During the Budget session, minister of state for home Nityanand Rai informed Parliament that India had urged Bangladesh to adopt a cooperative stance on tackling cross-border crimes, which includes support for fencing projects. He noted that 864.482 km of the border remained unfenced, with 174.51 km classified as “non-feasible” gaps.
“Construction of fence is an important measure for securing the border. Fencing helps to ensure a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking,” Rai stated in a written reply, according to news agency PTI.
He further outlined the obstacles hindering fencing completion, including land acquisition challenges, objections from the BGB, limited working seasons, and difficult terrain such as marshy lands and landslide-prone areas.
Last month, the BSF reported that its “strong objection” had halted “illegal” construction by Bangladeshi citizens and border forces near the International Border in West Bengal, a development it claimed was “increasing” recently.
The Indian delegation is expected to highlight a surge in infiltration attempts by Bangladeshi nationals since August. These instances are reportedly linked to human trafficking and cross-border smuggling networks.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s interim government has indicated that during the upcoming meeting from February 17-20, it intends to push for the revision of certain “uneven agreements” concerning border arrangements with India.