BSF, Bangladesh hold discussions on border issues

SHILLONG: BSF has asked its counterparts in Bangladesh to take action against hideouts of Indian insurgent groups and urged for Bangladesh's approval for construction of single row fence within 150 yards at the border to prevent trans-border crimes, an official said here today.

BSF chiefs of Meghalaya, Assam, and Tripura have jointly made the request to Bangladesh Border Guards's Additional Director General (north-eastern region) Brigadier General Mohammad Latiful Haider, at the Border Co-ordination meeting of the two forces held at Tamabil on Sylhet-Meghalaya border, Bangladesh.

"We have strongly conveyed to the BGB especially on security-related issues particularly about presence of Indian insurgent groups like the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) and HNLC of Meghalaya, Assam's ULFA and NDFB, and Tripura's NLFT in Bangladesh territory," Sudesh Kumar, Meghalaya Frontier IG, told PTI.

Kumar, who led a 20-member contingent, also discussed issues pertaining to construction of a single row fence within 150 yards from IB at border for obtaining clearance from Bangladesh government.

Other key issues related to border management was also strongly conveyed on key border issues between the two neighbouring countries, he said.

The commission of trans-border crimes like smuggling of fake currency notes, forest produce and cattle, etc. committed by Bangladesh nationals well inside Indian territory was also discussed, a release from the BSF said.

On the other hand, Bangladesh border officials have urged their Indian counterparts for strict use of non-lethal weapons to reduce border killings significantly to which the BSF refuted the allegations citing such killings (if any) was in self defence.

"We have also requested the BGB authorities to discourage Bangladesh nationals from crossing the international boundary in order to avoid any confrontation with bordering population and maintain peace and tranquillity at the border," Kumar said.

He said the border guards of the two neighbours also discussed deployment of coordinated joint patrols along the border, especially in the night time.

Four Indian north-eastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam share 1,880 km porous border with Bangladesh.

India and Bangladesh share a 4,096-kilometre long porous international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world, including 262 km in Assam, 856 km in Tripura, 18 km in Mizoram, 443 km in Meghalaya, and 2,217 km in West Bengal, BSF officials said.

For grant of general approval for diversion of forest land required for creation of other strategic installations of the Armed Forces within 100 km aerial distance from the LAC, the Environment Ministry has requested the Ministry of Defence to identify strategic defence infrastructure-related activities which are to be taken up and submit the list.

"As far as grant of general approval under the FC Act for creation of security related installations within 100 km from LoC by the BSF is concerned, question of the same does not arise as provisions of the FC Act do not extend to Jammu and Kashmir," the letter said.