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Bangla border guards deny influx into India

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Dec 25 - Denying influx of Bangladeshi nationals into India, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Friday said that people who have been caught on the border are those who crossed over to the other side to meet their family members residing in the other country. �The GDP of Bangladesh is around USD 2,300. So there is no reason for anyone from Bangladesh to cross the border for economic reasons. Those who come to India have passports and visas and they come here for tourism or to avail health facilities,� BGB Director General Md Shafeenul Islam told the media here.

Speaking on the sidelines of the BSF-BGB DG-level talks here, he said both the border guarding forces were vigilant to thwart illegal movement of people. Stating that there are similarities between the culture, heritage and language of both countries, the BGB DG said many people residing on the border areas have family members on the other side of the border. �The persons apprehended by us are generally those who cross the border to meet their family members,� he claimed.

Asked if there was movement of people from India to Bangladesh in the wake of the exercise to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Islam said, �The NRC is an internal issue of India and does not concern Bangladesh. As a border guarding force, we are trained and prepared to check any kind of illegal border crossings.�

According to statistics provided by India, the BSF apprehended 3,204 persons on the Bangladesh border this year till December 15. The number also includes Indians. Since the last Director General-level talks, 60 Bangladeshi nationals who crossed over to India have been handed over to the BGB.

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