On June 14, 2023, as per a senior officer, the Border Security Force (BSF) of India and the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) have taken a momentous decision to sign five developmental projects along the 4,096 km of shared boundary that will help the populations on both sides of the border.
At the end of their four-day biannual border conference, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) also said that they are working independently and jointly to reduce the instances of killing of Bangladeshi nationals in the boundary area.
According to the BSF, the major irritant between neighbours is linked to miscreants and smugglers attacking its personnel or other cross-border crimes occurring in the border area.
The 53rd Edition of the conference involving director generals (DsG) of the BSF and BGB ended with the signing of a joint record of discussions at a BSF camp located in the Chhawla area of the national capital (New Delhi).
During this conference, a momentous decision that will profoundly impact the lives of the population along the Indo-Bangladesh Border, a total of five developmental projects were agreed upon, enhancing the joint efforts towards peace and prosperity in the region.”
“This decision is a significant step towards improving the overall quality of life and will serve to foster stronger bilateral trade and relations with the two countries,” the BSF said in a statement.
The five projects involve the construction of a Bailey Road, road repair and strengthening of the retaining walls along the border that runs on the eastern flanking five states of Assam, West Bengal, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura.
The two chiefs told a joint press conference that they were taking a number of steps to ensure that they were taking a number of steps to ensure that the incidents of killing on the borders at the hands of the security forces are reduced.
Sujoy Lal Thaosen, the acting DG of the BSF, said that troops fire on miscreants “only as a last resort” The BGB DG Major General AKM Nazmul Hasan said that the issue was a matter of great concern for them and if the two sides worked together, the killings will be reduced.
“The BSF does not discriminate among criminals. When such an incident happens, it is done as a last resort when the life of a personnel who is on duty is threatened.” Thaosen said.
“The BSF believes in the use of non-lethal weapons, and this has been made mandatory and followed rigorously. However, when we find that force was used by BSF personnel, who is on duty is threatened.” Thaosen said.
Thaosen said his force has decided to reduce the numbers to the minimum, and all efforts are being made to sensitise and train the officers on the ground.
Maj Hasan said, “We have discovered various measures to reduce these killings and incidents and sometimes there is a misunderstanding or miscommunication between the lower level or ground level troops, and we are working together to solve this issue.”
The visiting Bangladeshi Commander said that illegal migration from both sides has been an issue as the two countries share common culture and heritage and locals have friends and relatives residing on either side of the border.
“We are working together to seal the border and undertake joint patrolling so that the incidents of illegal trespass do not take place,” the BGB DG said.
The BSF added that to reduce the number of violent incidents along the border, both sides agreed to work jointly and engage professionally, enhancing joint patrolling and vigilance, especially during the late hours of the night to early morning.
They also agreed to intensify public awareness programmes, sharing real-time information and interrogation reports of traffickers, and remain extra vigilant to curb trans-border crimes like smuggling of drugs, contraband items, gold, fake Indian currency notes in order to make the India-Bangladesh border crime-free, according to the statement.
These talks were held every year between 1975 and 1992. But in 1993, either side alternatively travels to the national capitals of New Delhi and Dhaka. A BSF delegation is expected to travel to Dhaka for the next round of these talks later this year.
