Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Security Force (BSF) have agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the killing incidents in the frontier areas to ‘zero level’ by increasing coordinated patrols in areas vulnerable to cattle and drug or narcotics smuggling. Border guard forces of both Bangladesh and India reached the agreement at the Director General (DG) level 48th Border Conference held at the BGB Headquarters in the city from June 12-15, reports BSS.
BGB DG Major General Md Shafeenul Islam led a 19-member host delegation, including members from Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the conference from Bangladesh side while BSF DG Rajni Kant Mishra led a 10-member delegation, including member from Indian Ministry of Home and Indian High Commission in Dhaka, from the India side.
At a joint press conference after the three-day conference at BGB headquarters, BSF chief Rajni Kant Mishra expressed deep concern over higher rate of ‘unfortunate death’ in the border areas in the first five months of this year than the last year. Seven people were killed last year in the border areas, of which six were Indians and only one was Bangladeshi, he claimed.
But it should be found out why such kind of deaths take place in the frontier areas, Mishra said, urging for taking measures for coordinated patrols of BGB-BSF to bring down the killings. “Unfortunate death in the border areas is unexpected. BSF members are directed not to use firearms first. But sometimes the situation turns so ugly that the smugglers attack the BSF members with stones, sticks and sharp weapons,” the BSF DG said.
He added: “We maintain maximum restraint in the frontier areas. But, such kind of unexpected incidents (death) take place when the border guards are attacked. Each incident, however, is investigated”. Replying to a query from a journalist on Felani killing, the BSF DG said the matter is still under trial.
Responding to another query on the source of yaba smuggling into Bangladesh through India, Mishra said none of the two countries are the source of this contraband item. A third country is responsible for it, he added. Expressing deep concern over the smuggling of narcotics and killing of Bangladeshi nationals in the frontier areas, BGB DG Md Shafeenul Islam said people of Bangladesh always appreciate the existing excellent relationship between the two border forces and expect that BGB and BSF will take necessary measures to bring down the death cases and smuggling of narcotics to zero level.
During the three-day DG level border conference, both sides agreed on the implementation of CBMP in its positive spirit and to take effective steps for prevention of human trafficking and illegal crossing of IB, according to a joint statement. The BSF DG appreciated the cooperation extended by BGB and other security forces of Bangladesh against the Indian insurgent groups (IIGs) and sought further cooperation from BGB for destruction of reported hideouts of IIGs in Bangladesh.
Responding to BSF DG, the BGB DG mentioned that Bangladesh does not allow her soil to be used by any entity or element hostile to any country and assured all possible help and reiterated the commitment of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina where she said, “We would not allow any groups/terrorists to use our land against any country and maintain zero tolerance against any kinds of terrorism”.
The both sides agreed that all the inadvertent crossers be handed over to concerned force immediately as per the provisions of CBMP and agreed to take effective steps for preventing smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives, drugs, gold and FICN across the IB, to pursue and share real time information including preliminary questioning report as applicable about the persons apprehended with smuggled items.
The both sides also agreed to declare new areas as Crime Free Zone in phases, of which proposed area within Sarail Region or Tripura Frontier may be formalized in the first phase.
Both sides exchanged lists of criminals and smugglers operating in the bordering areas and asked for assistance to address the issues. The next DG level conference will be held at New Delhi preferably within the last week of October to 1st week of November 2019.
