This week in Prabhasakshi News Network’s special program Shaurya Path, we wanted to know from Brigadier Shri DS Tripathi ji (Retd) why Bangladesh is opposing the fencing by India on the border? Which is this area on which Bangladesh is objecting to fencing? In response, he said that the twice-postponed Director General (DG) level talks between India and Bangladesh are now expected to be held in Delhi from February 16, in the wake of the fencing and infiltration attempts in Bangladesh following the political turmoil. The issue of increase will be the main agenda of discussion. He said a delegation of Border Guard Bangladesh will hold discussions with India’s Border Security Force (BSF) in this biennial dialogue between February 16 and 19. He said this would be the first top-level discussion between the two armies after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina on August 5 last year. He said that the issues for talks are being worked out between the two sides. He told that last year these talks were postponed twice.
Brigadier Shri DS Tripathi (Retd) said that Bangladesh’s objections to the construction of ‘single row’ fencing as agreed on about 92 identified stretches covering about 95.8 km of the total 4,096 km long international border between the two countries have been resolved. Issues related to this are expected to figure prominently during this meeting. He said Bangladesh had called Indian High Commissioner Prannoy Verma to Dhaka over the weekend to express deep concern over the activities of the BSF in relation to fencing and border killings. The next day, India made it clear to Bangladesh’s acting High Commissioner in Delhi, Nurul Islam, that all prescribed protocols were being followed during the fencing. It expressed hope that Bangladesh would implement all prior agreements and adopt a collaborative approach to combat cross-border crimes.
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Brigadier Shri DS Tripathi (Retd) said that during the border talks, India is also expected to discuss the issue of increase in infiltration attempts by Bangladeshi citizens on the border. He said that according to the data, between August and December last year, BSF personnel had arrested 1,956 Bangladeshi citizens. He said DG-level boundary talks were held annually between 1975 and 1992, but were made biennial in 1993, with both sides holding talks in New Delhi and Dhaka by turns. He said the previous edition was held in Dhaka in March, when the Indian delegation visited Bangladesh.
Brigadier Shri DS Tripathi (Retd) said that there is mutual understanding between the two countries regarding fencing the border for security. Talks are going on between BSF and BGB (Border Security Force and Border Guard Bangladesh) in this regard. He said that we hope that mutual understanding will be implemented and a cooperative approach will be adopted to deal with crime. He said there are four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between India and Bangladesh to control border activities. He said that out of these, it has been made clear in the 1975 MoU that no development work with defense potential can be done within 150 yards of the zero line. The second MoU states that no development work can be done within this limit without mutual consent. Any such action requires prior consent between the two countries. He said there are reports that India has already fenced 3,271 km of the 4,156 km long border with Bangladesh and about 885 km of the border remains unfenced. He said that recently disputes have come up in five areas, including (north-western) Chapainwabganj, Naugaon, Lalmonirhat and Teen Bigha corridor.
