3-day India-B'desh border guarding forces' meet ends on 'positive note'

Security related issues and action against Indian Insurgents groups (IIGs) taking shelter in Bangladesh were among various issues discussed in the three-day meeting between India and Bangladesh border guarding forces in Meghalaya that ended on Monday with "positive note" and ensurance to look into each other's perspective.

Both the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) agreed to "look into each other's perspective on border problems with an open mind and to increase sharing of actionable intelligence to curb trans-border crimes and to have a peaceful tranquil atmosphere along the International Border".

The agenda points discussed during the meeting mainly focused on concerns of both the border guarding forces like the movement of insurgents, human trafficking, drugs, fake currency, arms smuggling which need greater cooperation, understanding and synergy to make the life of the border population secure, said the BSF in a statement.

The BSF mainly emphasized attacks and assaults on its personnel and unarmed Indian civilians and other provocative action by Bangladeshi criminals.

Besides, security-related issues and action against Indian Insurgents groups (IIGs) taking shelter in Bangladesh, trans-border crimes like smuggling of forest Agro produce, drugs and narcotics cattle were also discussed.

Joint efforts for prevention of smuggling of Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) and illegal migration or infiltration by Bangladeshi nationals, confidence-building measures to improve the relationship between the two border guarding forces were also the focussed agenda of the "Border Co-ordination" meeting between Inspector General's BSF Meghalaya, Guwahati, Silchar, Tripura and Region Commanders of Border Guard Bangladesh was held from November 27 to 29 at Shillong.

The Indian delegation was led by Inspector General Tripura Frontier Susanta Kumar Nath accompanied by IG Meghalaya whereas the Bangladesh delegation was led by Tanveer Gani Chowdhury Additional Director General, Region Commander, South East Region Chattogram of Border Guard Bangladesh accompanied by Region Commander NE Region Sarail, Sector Commanders of BGB Cumilla, Sylhet, Mymensingh, and other BGB delegates.

BSF also provided facts and figures to the BGB list containing details of hideout camps of IIGs based in Bangladesh, list of Bangladeshi criminals involved in fence breaching, attack assaults on BSF and Indian national, cattle smugglers, FICN racketeers, Bangladeshi traffickers and touts involved in drugs trafficking, human trafficking, sympathizers of Indian insurgents in Bangladesh were hands of over to BGB.

IG BSF requested Region Commander BGB to take effective measures to stop illegal migration of BD national, prevention of trans-border crimes and take stringent action IIGs whose Camps still exist in Bangladesh.

The BGB delegation mainly emphasized upon firing on Bangladesh nationals by Indian nationals or BSF, the statement mentioned.

"Kidnapping, apprehension of Bangladeshi national, Illegal trespassing by Indian national into Bangladesh territory, smuggling of various types of drugs or narcotics from India to Bangladesh were also raised by BGB."

BSF mentioned that its personnel along with Indian nationals are exercising maximum restraint and resort to firing as a last option in the self-defence only, said the statement, adding "it was also mentioned that the BSF personnel are now using the non-lethal weapons like pump-action guns along the Indo-Bangladesh border, which has resulted in considerable change in the environment on the border".

Apart from it, the statement said, various developmental issues along the International Border were also discussed.

The next coordination conference will be held in Bangladesh.

( With inputs from ANI )

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