Assam seeks Pakistan-like fence on Bangladesh border

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has moved Centre seeking construction of barbed wire fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh under the supervision of Indian army.

Sonowal wants the model of Indo-Pakistan border fencing to be replicated in Assam. “There is need to check the quality of existing fencing. I have written to Centre to erect the fencing along Indo-Bangladesh under the supervision of India army,” he said, adding, “We need a strong fencing to keep smugglers and illegal infiltrators at bay.

In several areas, the border is still porous. Like 700km Indo-Pak border fencing along Jammu and Kashmir that was done within six month under supervision of army, we need to replicate the same quality of work here.” BJP-led government in Assam has completed 100 days. Sonowal reiterated that his government is committed to a green Assam that is free from foreigners, corruption, terrorism and pollution.

On Friday Sonowal will visit Mancachar, along the Indo-Bangladesh border. Sonowal is likely to discuss spurt in cattle smuggling and infiltration from the across the border. Union home minister Rajnath Singh in January this year, along with leaders of All Assam Students Union (ASSU), inspected the border fencing of Karimganj and Dhubri and expressed dissatisfaction with the work of border fencing being carried out in the Dhubri sector of Indo-Bangladesh border.

Singh said that India and Bangladesh share around 263 km long border. “However, in Dhubri sector of the international border there are several gaps. The Dhubri border will be fenced by 2017 while in Karminganj sector sealing will be possible by 2016.” The previous Congress government had claimed that around 97.32% of the border fencing work in the two sectors of Karimganj and Dhubri has been completed.