India and Bangladesh Border Forces Pledge Joint Efforts to Curb Attacks on Security Personnel
Last Updated on March 11, 2024 4:36 am
During the bi-annual Director General (DG) level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) of India and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), both forces committed to working together to “bring down to an absolute minimum” the incidents of attacks on BSF personnel by criminals from Bangladesh along the 4,096-km-long International Border (IB) shared by the two countries.
The talks, held at the BGB headquarters in Pilkhana, Dhaka, concluded with the signing of a joint record of discussions. The Indian delegation was led by BSF DG Nitin Agrawal, while BGB DG Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui headed the Bangladeshi delegation.
The two sides agreed to increase coordinated patrols, especially during late hours of the night to early morning, in vulnerable areas to reduce incidents of assault and attacks on BSF personnel. The efforts also include educating the bordering population regarding the sanctity of the IB. Additionally, both forces pledged to aid victims of human trafficking, facilitate their rescue and rehabilitation according to the law, and share real-time information on human traffickers.
As a goodwill gesture, the BSF agreed to a BGB proposal for the construction and preservation of 18 graves of martyred freedom fighters of Bangladesh at Tamabil and Sylhet, located across the border.
The forces will share an approved design for six developmental works on the Indian side and an equal number on the Bangladesh side. The two countries aim to make the India-Bangladesh border crime-free, and incidents of death at the border will be brought down to zero through mutual cooperation.
Other points discussed during the talks included action against Indian insurgent groups in Bangladesh, border infrastructure, the joint implementation of the coordinated border management plan, confidence-building measures, and miscellaneous activities. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the outcomes and reiterated their commitment to working jointly for maintaining peace and tranquility at the border.
The DG-level border talks have been held annually since 1975, with a shift to bi-annual meetings in 1993. The next talks are expected to be held in September-October in India.