BSF, BDR joint patrol to curb cross-border terror

Dawki (Indo-Bangla border), Jul 3: The BSF and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) have started joint patrolling to contain cross-border terrorism.

The move came after successful parleys between BSF Director General A K Mitra and his Bangladeshi counterpart Major Shakeel Ahmed, a senior BSF official said.

India shares a 4,095 km-long border with Bangladesh, including the longest 2,216 km with West Bengal, part of which is porous, riverine, unfenced, prone to frequent infiltration and skirmishes.

''Our relation with Bangladesh has improved, we are conducting joint patrolling with them to check criminal activities and the BDR this time are cooperating with us,'' Inspector General of BSF in-charge Asom and Meghalaya P K Mishra told reporters here yesterday.

Claiming that the Bangladesh Rifles and their regular army also started a joint crackdown against Indian-based insurgents, Mr Mishra said, India is hopeful that Bangladesh succeeds in arresting these insurgents.

The joint operations reduced the inflow of militants along with smuggling of arms and ammunition in this region, he said.

Asked about Bangladesh refusing to act against top ULFA and NSCN-IM leaders along with and other insurgents camping at Dhaka, Mr Mishra said BSF would again ask the BDR to act against those top leaders, moving freely in that national capital.

India had handed over a list of 176 camps of various insurgent groups like ULFA, NLFT, All Tripura Tiger Force, National Democratic Front of Bodoland and Kamtapur Liberation Organisation in Bangladesh.

UNI