GUWAHATI, Jan 6 � Management of the international border with Bangladesh in this part of the country is likely to improve with increase in the deployment of the Border Security Force (BSF) from the first day of the new year. Meanwhile, seizures by the BSF increased substantially in 2013 compared to the previous year.
Highly placed sources in the BSF told The Assam Tribune that the Guwahati Frontier of the border guarding force, which was created on October 1, 2011, guards 495 kilometres of border with Bangladesh covering Dhubri, Coochbehar and Falakata sectors, of which 92 kilometres form a riverine border. The border under the frontier was guarded by nine battalions and from January this year, one more battalion has been deployed in the area, which will improve vigil along the international border, sources said.
Around 60 per cent of the border is fenced and the rest could not be fenced because of the terrain and the lack of space to construct the fencing 150 yards inside the international border. Moreover, no physical barrier can be erected on the riverine international border.
Giving a detailed account of the achievements of the Guwahati Frontier of the BSF in the last couple of years, BSF sources revealed that the total seizures were worth more than Rs 8.29 crore in 2013 compared to Rs 3.91 crore in the previous year. However, the arrests of Indian and Bangladeshi nationals along the international border remained the same in the last couple of years.
According to records available, cattle smuggling still remains a major problem as the BSF managed to seize cattle worth Rs 8.51crore in the last couple of years in the areas under Guwahati Frontier. The border guarding force seized cattle worth Rs 5.65 crore in 2013 compared to Rs 2.86 crore in the previous year. The other major seizures by the BSF in the last couple of years include ganja, forged Indian currency and Phensedyl.
During the last year, the BSF arrested 103 Bangladeshi nationals and 143 Indians along the international border in the areas under Guwahati Frontier, while, 148 Indians and 114 Bangladeshis were arrested in the previous year. The BSF also seized seven crude bombs and two improvised explosive devices last year.
BSF sources said that the seizures along the international border increased because of improved domination of the border area.
