No reason to cross over for jobs or even otherwise: Bangladesh

Guwahati: There is no infiltration from Bangladesh into India, the top official of the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) said on Friday. “You need to revisit your perception that a large number of Bangladeshis are illegally crossing. If you see the GDP growth rate of Bangladesh, you will find that we are on a steady rising trend. Now, the GDP is close to $2,300. So, there is no reason for Bangladeshis to cross the border - be it for jobs or any other reason,” Shafeenul Islam, Director-General of BGB, told media persons in Guwahati on Friday.

Islam is in the city to attend the 51st DG-level border coordination conference between the Border Security Force and the BGB, which stared on December 22 and ends December 26. This is first time that the meeting is being held outside New Delhi. The Border Security Force said it had apprehended 3,204 people at the Indo-Bangladesh border this year, of which 60 Bangladeshi nationals were handed over.

“People do come to India with valid document for treatment or tourism and not for work recently 25 fishermen had come to India from Bangladesh with valid documents, however they were apprehended at the border while going back. There is no infiltration from Bangladesh,” Islam said.


Asked if the BGB had seen any unusual movement of people after Assam came under the purview of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) last year, he said NRC was India’s issue and does not concern Bangladesh. The border forces of both countries discussed various aspects and issues related to border management at the conference.