GUWAHATI, Sept 24 � Finalising the modalities for joint border management will be one of the key issues for discussion during the meeting between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) scheduled to be held in Dhaka from tomorrow. This will be the first meeting between the border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh after the signing of the joint border management agreement between the two countries.
Talking to The Assam Tribune today, Additional Director General of BSF, H Desai said that a team of the BSF headed by the Director General of the Force would be leaving for Dhaka tomorrow to take part in the meeting.
Desai said that with the improvement of the relations between India and Bangladesh, the relation between the border guarding forces improved considerably and incidents of firing along the international border also came down sharply. He said that in 2006, as many as 122 persons were killed in BSF firing along the border with Bangladesh, but so far this year, only seven persons have been killed.
The Additional DG of BSF said that the ensuing visit by the BSF would aim to strengthen the ties further and coordinated patrolling along the vulnerable patches of the international border would start soon. He said that the BSF and BGB would jointly identify the vulnerable patches along the 4,097 km international border and the process is likely to be completed within the next couple of months. He revealed that the history of criminal activities including smuggling would be the key to identifying the vulnerable patches so that the personnel of the border guarding forces of both the countries can go for coordinated patrolling.
On the other issues to be discussed in the meeting, Desai said that cattle smuggling remains a cause of concern and the BSF would seek cooperation from the BGB in this regard. However, Desai said that the volume of cattle smuggling has come down in recent times.
Desai pointed out that the BSF and BGB are planning to hold Wagha-like ceremonies in three places �Phulbari, Akhora and Petrapol along the international border with Bangladesh and the necessary infrastructure has to be created in this regard. This issue is also likely to be discussed in the ensuing meeting.
