BSF Asks BGB To Prevent Infiltration Into India From Bangladesh

The Border Security Force (BSF) has asked its Bangladeshi counterpart, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), to “prevent” citizens of the neighbouring country from illegally entering India in the wake of the Sheikh Hasina government’s fall in August, the force said on Friday.

The BSF also said it is committed to maintaining the sanctity of the 4,096-km international boundary with Bangladesh, along with ensuring the safety and security of the border population.

Since August 12, the BSF and the BGB had 722 meetings at various levels, the border-guarding force said after the meeting of a special committee appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which was held in Kolkata on Thursday.

The two forces carried out 1,367 simultaneous coordinated patrolling (SCP) in vulnerable border patches, the BSF said in a statement.

“During these border meetings, BGB officials have been apprised to prevent Bangladeshi nationals from illegally infiltrating into Indian territory. The BGB has assured to take all steps for the safety of Indian citizens and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh,” it added.

Officials of both the forces are in “constant” contact and sharing information on various operational matters on a real-time basis, the statement said.

It said the BSF also held village coordination meetings with Indian villagers residing along the international border to make them aware of the prevalent situation in Bangladesh and seek their cooperation in border management.

A total of 614 such meetings have been held over the last 15 days, apart from multiple deliberations undertaken with sister agencies to strengthen border security, the BSF said.

The MHA formed the committee of senior officers, headed by the additional director general (ADG) of the Kolkata-headquartered eastern command of the BSF, on August 9 to ensure the “safety and security of Indian nationals, Hindus and other minority communities” living in Bangladesh.

The India-Bangladesh boundary spans across five states — West Bengal (2,217 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km) and Mizoram (318 km).

An interim government led by 84-year-old Nobel-laureate Muhammad Yunus is in charge of Bangladesh after Hasina fled to India on August 5, following massive protests and violence in the neighbouring country.