BSF to join hands with Bangladesh rifles to beef up border security

Siliguri, July 16 (ANI): Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) have decided to join hands for better management of border issues and better security of the border population at the Indo-Bangladesh DG level talks that concluded on Tuesday (July 14) at Dhaka.

M.L. Kumawat, Director General of the BSF on Wednesday informed reporters in Siliguri in West Bengal on Wednesday (July 15) said that he had handed over the draft joint border management plan to his Bangladesh counterpart during the talks.

"We discussed matters which concerned this very area, the border management and the steps or measures which are required to be taken for better border management which should ultimately result in better security for the border population, better security for the nation and how to resolve the other issues which are pending for quite some time," Kumavat told media persons here.

The border area between India and Bangladesh is mostly fenced leaving a fringe area under open territory. Forty six patches have been identified along the border, which cannot be fenced due to territorial problem.

These patches have half fringe of their land along the Indian part while the other half is in Bangladesh. So to avoid problems, decision has been taken to jointly visit these areas and take decisions regarding the type of fence that should be constructed.

"We brought these issues to their notice, there was better understanding of these issues, of these difficulties and in next one, one and a half months time there will be joint visits of these places and decisions will be taken what type of fence can be constructed in these 46 places which we have identified," Kumavat added.

Besides, a list of 77 persons, who could be in Bangladesh, and wanted by India for anti-national activities, was also submitted to the BDR authorities

Kumawat also said that the Central government had decided to strengthen the BSF. Twenty nine more battalions and thre frontier forces are to be added to its existing 2.2 lakh manpower

Relations between Bangladesh and India are usually friendly but they have occasional disputes, mainly related to trespassing and smuggling through their 4,000-km border, a relatively porous one that runs through rivers, hills and marshes. (ANI)