In the wake of the recent tension in neighbouring Bangladesh, the Border Security Force (BSF) has intensified vigil along the Indo-Bangla international border in Tripura in close coordination with Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), officials said on Thursday.
In a statement, a BSF official said four Commandant level flag meetings and 150 Company Commander/Border Out Post (BOP) level meetings were held with the BGB in July to maintain close coordination with authorities on both sides of the border. The latest Battalion Commander level flag meeting was held in the Hariamuni Para Border Outpost (BOP) area involving 126 Battalion of the BSF in Tripura’s Dhalai district on Thursday.
The Indian delegation was led by BSF commandant Lalit Mohan Pant while Lieutenant Colonel of the BGB Mahamudul Hasan led the Bangladesh delegation.
“During the meeting, the BSF raised the issue of illegal infiltration through the Indo-Bangladesh border from Bangladesh to India, activities of Indian insurgent groups operating from Bangladesh territory, and smuggling of contraband by Bangladeshi smugglers. The BGB has assured to take affirmative action against these trans-border criminals and infiltrators,” the PRO said.
“A courtesy meeting was held between BSF IG of Tripura frontiers Patel Piyush Purusottam Das and Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Tripura Arif Mohammad on July 31 at BSF Tripura frontier headquarters,” a BSF official said.
“Various issues, including illegal migration from Bangladesh, trans border smuggling, and developmental works along the border, were discussed. IG BSF apprised him about the present status of illegal infiltration and involvement of Bangladesh nationals in smuggling activities. IG BSF also emphasised upon and requested His Excellency Assistant High Commissioner to take preventive measures to stop such activities from the Bangladesh side,” the BSF official informed.
According to the border security agency, the BSF is adopting a multipronged strategy to prevent infiltration and smuggling all along the state border.
A BSF spokesperson said 56 seizures were made in July alone during which nearly 70 rounds were fired to prevent cross-border infiltration, injuring at least six border criminals. According to the international agreements between India and Bangladesh, non-lethal rubber bullets are used on this side of the border.
The BSF has also arrested 77 illegal immigrants, including 71 Bangladeshi nationals and six Rohingya persons.
India’s border with Bangladesh is shared by four states from the northeast — Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram — which collectively amounts to 1,880 km of border with Bangladesh.
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