First India-Bangladesh border talks after Hasina govt fall: Physical fencing, insurgency and smuggling on top agenda

A root successful the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the BSF has readied each the arrangements for the gathering aft coordinating with the location ministry. “The league is being organised to sermon border-related issues and for amended coordination betwixt some borderline guarding forces. In the meeting, the BSF is going to sermon 1 of the cardinal points of carnal fencing successful an country of astir 864.482 km area, which is yet to beryllium fenced,” the root said.

Earlier this week, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha that the full magnitude of India-Bangladesh borderline is 4096.7 km, retired of which, 3196.705 km has been covered by carnal fencing. “A magnitude of 864.482 km of the India-Bangladesh borderline is yet to beryllium fenced which includes a magnitude of 174.514 km of non-feasible gap. The challenges faced successful completing the feasible stretches of fencing projects subordinate to onshore acquisition, BGB objections, constricted moving play and landslide/marshy land,” Rai said successful a written reply.

According to the source, past year, the BSF registered 85 protestation notes with the BGB. “Since the enactment of a caller authorities successful Bangladesh, galore information unit from borderline country information person been replaced oregon transferred. After taking charge, they are taking clip to settee down to person cordial relations with the BSF,” the root said. “Earlier, the serviceman successful complaint of BGB utilized to marque last decisions connected trivial issues, but nowadays, they are involving their higher-ups successful immoderate decision-related issue,” the root added.

The talks were held annually betwixt 1975 and 1992. In 1993, they were made bi-annual with either broadside alternately travelling to the nationalist capitals of New Delhi and Dhaka.

Sharing details of the tentative agendas, the root said that associated efforts for effectual implementation of the Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) and Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), injuries to the BSF unit by the miscreants during borderline duty, and insurgent camps connected Bangladesh ungraded volition beryllium discussed.

Data prepared by the Centre for the biannual talks shows that the BSF has seized 190.830 kg of golden successful 2024 arsenic compared to 171.045 kg successful 2023. “Rs 33,35,700 successful fake Indian currency notes (FICN) arsenic compared to 20,18500 FICN successful 2023. BSF has caught 3,474 Bangladeshi nationals successful 2024 arsenic compared to 3,342 successful 2023. Sixty-nine BSF unit got injured successful 2024 and 74 successful 2023,” the root added.

The Indian broadside of the India- Bangladesh borderline (IBB) touches West Bengal (2216.7 km), Assam (263 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Tripura (856 km) and Mizoram (318 km). The full agelong consists of plains, riverine belts, hills and jungles. The country is heavy populated and is cultivated close up to the border.

Border Out Posts (BOPs) are the main workstation of the BSF on the borders. Inter-alia, the BOPs are meant to supply an due amusement of unit to deter trans-border criminals, infiltrators and different hostile elements from indulging successful intrusion oregon encroachment and borderline violations. “Currently, determination are 1,113 BOPs of BSF on the IBB. The Centre has approved operation of 383 composite BOPs on the IBB, which are yet to beryllium constructed,” an MHA authoritative said.