Bangladesh allows BSF to transport floating BOPs through riverways

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Shillong, Dec 5 (UNI) After a long pending Bangladesh has finally given clearance to India to transport its floating Border Observation Post (BOP) to char areas in Assam via its waterways, a senior BSF official said today.

The five BOPs, resembling a small ship with facilities for storing communication equipment, records and arms, to guard the riverine border in Assam's Dhubri district.

Bangladesh had refused to allow the Indian frontier guards to use its river routes, citing security reasons.

'' Now, that they (Bangladesh) have agreed the floating BOPs, which have stationed in the Sunderbans in West Bengal will arrive in Dhubri soon,'' Inspector General of Border Security Force in-charge Assam and Meghalaya P K Mishra told reporters here on the sidelines of BSF's 43rd raising day function.

Mr Mishra said that the Director General of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed had informed about Dhaka's decision granting permission to transport the BSF's vessels during the biennial conference of Director Generals of the BSF and BDR.

The floating BOPs, having an area of 2,400 sq feet, functions like a police station with barracks that can house as many as 100 personnel and will be equipped with speedboats, Mr Mishra said.

Of the total 263-km-long border that Assam shares with Bangladesh, 49 km is riverine, spread over Dhubri and Karimganj.

BSF officials here said the Dhubri sector was in greater need of the floating border outpost due to large-scale of illegal migration, smuggling and militant's activities.

Infact, Indian's Home Ministry officials had even offered to supply riverine patrolling vessels to Bangladesh in case such request is made to contain the cross-border crimes.

UNI

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